Ten TransAsia Airways pilots fail exam on emergencies

Relatives, left bottom, of the victims of crashed TransAsia Airways Flight 235 offer prayers along the bank of the Keelung River in Taipei, Taiwan. Image by PA

Taiwan’s aviation authority has ordered the suspension of 10 pilots from TransAsia Airways who failed a proficiency test given after one of the airline’s planes crashed, killing at least 42 people.

The Civil Aviation Administration said the 10 failed the oral exam on handling emergency situations given after the crash on February 4 and need to be retrained. It said 19 other pilots who did not take the test would also be suspended.

TransAsia Airways flight. Image by Steven Byles / CC BY-SA 2.0

The turboprop ATR 72-600 crashed minutes after take-off from Taipei’s airport. Fifteen of the 58 people aboard were rescued and one person is still missing.

Rescuers praying at the site of the Taipei air crash. Image by AP Photo/Wally Santana.

A preliminary investigation indicated the plane’s pilots shut off a running engine after its other engine went idle, a move that aviation experts said was an error.

(Press Association)