§ Mr. Charles R. Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will make a statement indicating what discussions have taken place with the Spanish aviation authorities about the Dan Air Boeing 727 air disaster which resulted in the loss of 146 British lives, at Los Rodeos airport on 25 April.
§ Mr. TebbitThe team from the United Kingdom accidents investigation branch is participating in the Spanish investigation into this accident. The flight data recorder was read out in Madrid by the Spanish investigators assisted by an AIB specialist. The Spanish investigation commission permitted the cockpit voice recorder to be transcribed at the AIB replay facility at Farnborough with the participation of a member of the Spanish investigation commission.
In the initial stages of the investigation in Tenerife daily meetings were held with the Spanish investigation commission. A meeting is scheduled to take place in Madrid on 3 June in order to discuss the progress of the investigation particularly in respect of analytical work carried out on the data provided by the flight data and cockpit voice recorders.
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§ Mr. Charles R. Morrisasked the Secretary of Trade whether he will make a further statement on the Dan Air Boeing 727 air disaster at Los Rodeos on 25 April; what information he now has on the contents of the flight data and cockpit voice recorders; and what indication this gives upon the causes of the tragedy.
§ Mr. TebbitMy Department has been in consultation with the Spanish authorities as to what factual information can be released without prejudice to the ultimate findings of the Spanish investigation commission. As soon as there is agreement on this point I shall provide the House with whatever information I can.
Good quality readouts have been obtained from both the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder recovered from the wreckage. All the evidence related to this accident is now being evaluated by the accident investigators. An initial appraisal of this evidence indicates that, in due course, it should be possible to establish the causes of the accident. However, a great amount of painstaking work will be necessary before any unequivocal statement as to the causes can be made.