"Prompt investigation"

Hail flight: those affected now appeal to Gewessler

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/zVg, APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

The affair surrounding the disastrous hail flight of an AUA plane is taking on ever greater dimensions. krone.at has now received a letter in which those affected hold the Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) to account - and not without reason ...

It must have been sheer horror for the passengers on AUA flight OS434 from Palma de Mallorca to Vienna. Because when the plane flew through a violent hailstorm, the Airbus was severely damaged. The fact that nothing more happened may seem like a miracle to some.

Horror flight affair continues to unfold
In the meantime, the repaired accident plane is flying through the air again, AUA has rejected the criticism but announced a comprehensive investigation into the incident. In the meantime, charges of negligent endangerment of the public have also been filed and the authorities are investigating.

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However, the affair is now also spreading to domestic politics. In a letter sent to krone.at in advance, those affected, represented by the Viennese lawyer Wolfgang List, also hold Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) to account.

Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler receives a letter from the hail flight victims.

(Bild: APA/Tobias Steinmaurer)

Gewessler watches over aviation authority
The Minister - herself not necessarily an advocate of air travel - also oversees the agendas of the Supreme Civil Aviation Authority (OZB) through her department. This means that the Ministry of Climate Protection oversees airlines, air navigation service providers and quality assurance in civil aviation.

Clear criticism in the letter to Gewessler

(Bild: zVg)

The letter to the Ministry of Climate Protection is not sparing with criticism for this very reason: "The more detailed circumstances surrounding the handling of this highly dangerous hail incident involving AUA flight OS434 give rise to justified concerns as to whether the supervision of air carriers and quality control [...] is being carried out in an appropriate manner."

Evidence not seized immediately?
The letter also states that "evidence that is crucial for determining the cause was not secured immediately after the incident". Those affected are therefore calling for a "prompt, objective, complete and transparent investigation". 

(Bild: zVg)

"The victims, some of whom are severely traumatized, have the right to know why they were put in danger of life and limb," writes lawyer List.

Specifically, the victims formulate eleven questions that they expect Gewessler and the responsible authorities to answer: 

1. For example, there is said to have been an early warning from the weather monitoring system for the hailstorm on the flight route. Those affected therefore want to know whether the impending dangers could have been recognized.
2. There is also the question of whether it would have been possible to fly around the weather event without further ado.
3. The question of whether the pilot was in the cockpit at the time of the incident and, if not, why not, remains unanswered. 
4. It is also unclear when the Federal Safety Investigation Board (SUB) , as the responsible authority, was informed of the incident. 
5. According to the letter, the SUB only began its investigation after a "significant delay". The question of the timing and course of the investigation therefore needs to be clarified.
6. Particularly explosive in this context: the data from the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder are said to have not been backed up after the incident.  
7. The securing of the weather radar after the accident also raises questions. This is because there may have been an application error that could have prevented the pilots from noticing the storm in time. 
8. AUA itself initially classified the accident as a "malfunction", which does not necessarily require an investigation by the SUB. They now want to know whether the hail incident will now be classified as a " serious incident" after all and therefore a mandatory investigation will be carried out. 
9. Also explosive: the aircraft flew over a densely populated area of Vienna on its approach : "What measures were taken to ensure that no uninvolved persons on the ground [...] were endangered - for example by falling aircraft parts?"
10. In this context, the approach path on runway 11 of Vienna-Schwechat Airport is also called into question: "An obvious potential source of danger for local residents."
11. Those affected also want it clarified that the ill-fated aircraft went back into operation with "small dents", which will only be repaired during general maintenance in November, as AUA itself announced. 

"As part of this safety investigation, all necessary investigative steps will of course be taken. These include on-site inspections, data backups and interviews with the people involved. We ask for your understanding that we cannot comment on details while the investigation is ongoing," said the Ministry of Climate Protection.

We also understand the concerns of the passengers - and will of course answer their questions.

Aus dem Klimaschutzministerium

In any case, the incident in question will be investigated comprehensively and independently - with the aim of avoiding similar incidents in the future, the minister said.

Incidentally, the letter will not only reach Climate Protection Minister Gewessler, but also the heads of the parliamentary parties. It is therefore not unlikely that the affair surrounding the hail horror flight will soon be a matter for the National Council.