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A military plane crash in Spain was probably caused by computer files being accidentally wiped from three of its engines, according to investigators. Plane-maker Airbus discovered anomalies in the A400M's data logs after the crash, suggesting a software fault. And it has now emerged that Spanish investigators suspect files needed to interpret its engine readings had been deleted by mistake.
This would have caused the affected propellers to spin too slowly. The aeroplane crashed near Seville, during a test flight on 9 May, killing four crew members on board. Several countries that had already accepted deliveries of the plane - including the UK - grounded them following the accident. However, Airbus has announced it plans to fly one of its own A400M aircraft at the Paris Air Show next week.
The latest revelations about the investigation were first reported by the Reuters news agency.
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-33078767
[Also Covered By]: http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/06/report-airbus-transport-crash-caused-by-wipe-of-critical-engine-control-data/
Original Submission
(Score: 2) by janrinok on Thursday June 11 2015, @08:09PM
You really should try reading some of the linked material; it does answer the questions that you are asking. However, to help, this is from the second link:
There is also more information as to what the pilots attempted to do when the fault was detected by software once the aircraft was airborne - but at this point it was already too late.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by snick on Thursday June 11 2015, @10:15PM
Why are these files (without which the plan falls out of the sky) not in ROM?
And how the FUCK does an engine have a green light on takeoff with critical files missing? There should have been a giant red light flashing in the cockpit as soon as the engine was booted.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 12 2015, @03:11AM
Lookit, if I spend time reading the links I can't spout out in question form my instant and superior analysis, now can I? Sheesh man, do some critical thinking.
(Score: 2) by deimtee on Friday June 12 2015, @03:24AM
Airbus has already confirmed that its pilots had tried switching the malfunctioning engines into "flight idle" mode - their lowest power setting - in an attempt to tackle the problem.
The pilots were unable to bring three of the engines back out of "idle mode". Without the parameter files, the engines would have been left stuck in this mode.
There is a distinct possibility that they will claim pilot error contributed.
P1 - "Engines are not responding properly, power one down to idle and restart it"
P2 - "Can't get it to power up again"
P1 - "Okay, try another"
P2 - "It won't power up either"
P1 - "Third time lucky, try again"
Mechanical voice - "Pull Up! Pull Up! Pull Up!"
If you cough while drinking cheap red wine it really cleans out your sinuses.