Pilot of Crashed Airplane to be Tested of Taking Alcohol or Drug

A week is passing after the miserable crash of Air China airplane without gaining a specific clue for the cause of the accident, and no progress was made in the installation of censer stand and the negotiation for funeral procedure.

The joint investigation team of Korea, China, and America made spot investigations and met officials concerned for the fields divided into △weather conditions, △navigation and controlling, △fuselage and engine, and △survivors.

The investigation team announced at a briefing, “we decided to look into whether Chinese pilot, Wu Xinlu (31) had taken alcohol or drug by analyzing the blood, which was collected immediately after the crash, according to the principle of air crash investigation. ”

The investigation team will send the collected electronic engine controller (EEC) and speed indicator (MSI) to their manufacturer, which is thought important for disclosing the cause. Relatively much damaged flight data recorder (FDR) was sent to U.S. manufacturer, Allied Signal on the 20th.

As basic investigation in Korea is ending, the investigation team plans to send officials of joint investigation team to main office of China Airlines for confirming information on China side.

Ham Dae-Young, chief of the aviation bureau at the Ministry of Construction and Transportation (MCT) said, “MSAW (minimum safe altitude warning) functioned properly, but the controllers did not know about it since they were guiding the plane manually. ”

Meanwhile, `air crash victims` family committee (chairperson Park Jeong-Kwon)` insisted, “government should ban the pilot of crashed airplane from leaving the country, and let the representatives of victims` family join the joint investigation team if necessary. ”

Jeong-Hoon Kang manman@donga.com · silent@donga.com