Date: 2002.7.30

Dr. Kay Yong, Managing Director of ASC held a press conference today and released the following information.

Radar Data

After trip to Mainland China, the Flight Data Recorder group had confirmed that there were 3 additional transponder radar points received from Xiamens’s secondary radar after the CVR power cut off.

Time Altitude

15:28:05 34,613

15:28:09 34,777

15:28:13 34,843

CVR sound spectrum analysis

A simulation flight was conducted on June 29 to compare the un-identified sound from CVR and the initial inspection is as follow.

15:38:34-15:20:30 4 times unidentified Ka-Da sounds could be the knobs by the flight crew.

15:21:52-15:21:13 No spectrum comparison to the 7 times unidentified heart beat sounds.

The sound prior to the CVR power cut-off was more likely be the rapid decompression rather than the explosive decompression or external explosive, after the spectrum analysis by the NTSB, ASC, and Boeing personnel at the NTSB Lab.

The 0.3 second blank might come from the defect of the CVR tape.

Wreckage

There were a total of 828 wreckage pieces been recovered including; 4 engines, nose gear, three set of main landing gear, tail, both wings, cockpit, section 41 through 44, and part of section 46, approximately 60% of the total wreckage

There were 4 wreckage pieces that required further examination

Uncontinuous flat fracture found on the piece near bulk cargo door

Spiked-tooth shaped damage on the lower portion of the door 4L, which might be the result of high-energy impact.

Flat fractures from door 5L and a steel metal piece.

The Aft cargo door was latched but the upper half of the door was torn off from the lower half.

Wreckage inspection

Samples from those 4 pieces had sent to Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology (CSIST). Representatives from ASC, NTSB, Boeing and CAL will commence detail inspection and further testing on July 31. There are three sets of 11 samples will send to CSIST, NTSB Lab and Boeing.

The ASC noted that all those wreckage pieces would be inspected according to the process; however, whether those pieces were the causes of the in-flight break up still remain unknown and need further studies.

The CI-611 Crash Story Pt1

Part Three		Part One

to Safety Menu