Fuel theory for plane crash

Cockpit voice recording suggests both engines failed

Investigators are focusing on the fuel system in the crash of a commuter aircraft in the US state of Pennsylvania on Sunday that killed 19 people.

The twin-engine turbo prop plane carrying 17 passengers and two crew members crashed in a ball of fire during its approach to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport at about 1140 local time (1540 GMT).

Tell them we've lost both engines. We've lost both engines

Pilot

A witness on the ground reported that she heard both engines rev up and then stop.

George Black of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the simulataneous failure of both engines was a "very rare event" and could indicate problems with the fuel system.

One possible explanation is contaminants such as water in the fuel, but a preliminary analysis of the fuel at a New York airport where the plane was last refuelled found no contamination.

Voice recorder

Complicating investigation efforts, the cockpit voice recorder was not working due to an improper power configuration.

A power inverter necessary to convert the plane's direct current power to alternating current was not installed.

The plane was not required to have a flight data recorder, leaving investigators to rely more heavily on radar data, air traffic control information and clues from the crash site to piece together the last minutes of the flight.

"This seriously hampers the investigation," Mr Black said. "This is somewhat disappointing, and we're going to do the best we can without it."

Failed landing

Mr Black said the aircraft - en route from Atlantic City, New Jersey - missed its first landing approach and crashed on its second attempt.

The air traffic control tapes and the plane's cockpit voice data recorder appear to suggest that both the plane's engines had failed.

A local television station broadcast an element of the radio transmission between the traffic control and the cockpit.

Relatives of the victims gathered at the airport

"Tell them we've lost both engines. We've lost both engines," both the pilot and the co-pilot were heard to say.

The plane crashed in a heavily wooded area at Bear Creek Township, about half a mile from the I-476, the north-east extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

About 50 relatives and friends of the victims gathered at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton airport.

John Comey, of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency said: "All the family members that gathered at the airport have been notified that no one survived the crash."

Fog

The plane, a 1988 BAE Jetstream 31, crashed about 3.2 km (2 miles) into the woods in light rain and fog.

"Apparently there isn't much left in one piece," said Al Bardar, director for emergency management for Luzerne County.

Wy Gowell, the airport's assistant director, said the crash victims had left at 1700 on Saturday (2100 GMT) on a flight chartered by Caesars Atlantic City Hotel Casino.

They had been due to return at 0115 but fog kept the plane grounded in Farmingdale, New York.

With the flight delayed, the victims spent the night at the casino.

The plane left Atlantic City at about 1030 on Sunday and had been scheduled to land in Wilkes-Barre an hour later, said Peter Hartt of the South Jersey Transportation Authority.

He said the plane was operated by Executive Airlines of Farmingdale. Officials from the company declined to comment on the crash.

Common plane

The NTSB's George Black said the BAE Jetstream 31 did not have a history of problems.

"There are a lot of them in operation. It's a very common short haul (plane)."

According to NTSB data, the last fatal crash of a plane of this type was in Hibbing, Minnesota in December 1993, when 18 people died.