HC Deb 27 October 1966 vol 734 cc1276-8
10. Mr. A. Royle

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the air crash at Ljubljana.

37. Mr. Rankin

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has considered the report issued by the Yugoslav Inquiry Commission on the accident to a Britannia airliner near Ljubljana, resulting in the death of 98 persons, on 1st September in which the pilot is blamed; what inquiry he intends to make; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Mason

An inquiry has been instituted by the Yugoslav authorities in accordance with international procedure, and an inspector of accidents from the Board of Trade is participating in it. A communiqué on the progress of the investigation issued in Belgrade on 17th September included a statement that the pilot flew incorrectly below the normal approach path but that the Commission had not yet been able to establish the reason for the low flight. The inquiry is continuing, and this is one of the issues to be determined.

Mr. Royle

Since the chief pilot involved in this tragedy was one of my constituents and, I understand, had been flying very close to the fatigue limits, what action are the Government taking to deal with companies which have been breaking pilot fatigue regulations? Is any revision of the Air Navigation Order planned? In view of the possibility of a mistake occurring due to lights on the road at Ljubljana, will the hon. Gentleman require a minimum number of training flights in varying conditions at difficult airports in future?

Mr. Mason

I am not aware that the pilot concerned had exceeded the flying hours involved. Secondly, as the hon. Member knows, we are considering fresh flight time limitations, and matters of this kind will be taken into consideration.

Mr. Rankin

Will my right hon. Friend recollect that the Munich disaster was blamed, as happens too often, on the pilot, who, fortunately, lived to prove his innocence? Will my hon. Friend assure us that Munich will not be repeated at Ljubljana and that there will be a full inquiry into the causes of that disaster and not the hasty run-over that we have had recently?

Mr. Mason

The full inquiry is taking place and it would be wrong at this moment to prejudge the results.

Mr. R. Carr

Will the Minister, through the appropriate international channel:—because I realise that this is an international matter—take what steps he can to make sure that pilots do not get blamed in this way through intermediate reports and that this sort of statement is not issued until a complete report is available?

Mr. Mason

I am obliged to the right hon. Gentleman for those comments. They certainly will be noted.