Does anyone know what took down the EgyptAir flight? Ask the Captain

October 31, 2022
Travel

Data shows the need for continuous improvement: Ask the captain

Nose damage:This plane was damaged after flying through a thunderstorm

Egyptian authorities have stated that a bomb was the likely cause, but many other investigators do not believe the evidence supports that conclusion. The French Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety stated on July 6, 2018, that the most likely cause of the crash was a fire on the flight deck that spread rapidly. This theory was expanded in an April 2022 article in the British newspaper The Telegraph, which reported that one of the pilots was smoking in the cockpit, starting an onboard fire that was compounded by a leaking emergency oxygen mask.

The theory of a cigarette igniting a fire in an oxygen-enriched environment caused by a leaking oxygen mask is feasible. Fires in oxygen-rich environments are terrifying events that can cause massive damage in seconds. A complete transcript of the CVR would end the speculation. However, one has not yet been released.

It has been well over six years since the accident, but no final report has been issued by the Egyptian Civil Aviation Ministry. This is contrary to the world standard for aviation accident investigation as defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Annex 13, which defines the responsibilities for aircraft accident investigation. It states: “In the interest of accident prevention, the State conducting the investigation of an accident or incident shall release the Final Report as soon as possible.”

Egypt is a signatory to ICAO and is bound by its rules. However, we still don’t have a final report.

Recently, the Flight Operations Group of the Royal Aeronautical Society in London published an article, to which I contributed, questioning why there was no final report of EgyptAir 804. This group of aviation experts raised valid questions and concerns about the lack of a report of an accident of one of the most widely used airliners in the world.

Anytime there is an accident, the question arises: Are there concerns for the fleet? In this case, one of the most widely used jet airliners in the sky has an accident with no cause found, officially. That is a concern.

Furthermore, Egypt agreed to conform to ICAO Annex 13 and should comply with this requirement, or we run the risk of other countries not completing investigations in the future, hindering aviation safety.

It is long past time that the Egyptian Civil Aviation Ministry publish the final report on EgyptAir 804. The mission of accident investigation is to prevent a reoccurrence, and not providing a final report impedes this effort.