CIVIL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION CONFIRMS TOUGH VIOLATION AT PLANE TAKE-OFF ON MONDAY

The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) of Moldova confirmed that a tough violation was committed at take-off of a plane in the afternoon of September 30.

"During the plane take-off from the Chisinau airport, three technical service vehicles were working at the end of the runway, which is a severe violation of the established rules. A sitting of permanent commission on investigating air incidents and accidents was convened and it is now working together with a group of CAA experts to establish the circumstances of the happening", the message says.

According to preliminary data, the incident was due to human factor, the state enterprise MoldATSA told that responsible air traffic controllers were suspended from function till the investigation completion.

The Civil Aviation Administration reported about the accident only on the third day, after ex-head of the MoldATSA Sorin Stati published audio-recording of talk between the pilot of the FlyOne plane with air traffic controllers. The recording demonstrates how the pilot reproaches controllers that there were special vehicles on the runway during the take-off.

"At the take-off, the controller forgot to release the runway from special vehicles which were cleaning the runway from objects that may endanger planes", Stati said.

The CAA promised to transparently cover the investigation of this accident.