Probe finds 'human error' responsible for emergency landing of PM Hasina's plane

Though 'technical fault' has initially been blamed for the emergency landing in Turkmenistan of an aircraft carrying prime minister Sheikh Hasina, a preliminary investigation is of the opinion that the negligence of people tasked with the maintenance of the aircraft might have caused the crisis.

Of the three committees investigating the incident, one was constituted by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, which provided the aircraft in which the prime minister and her entourage would travel to Hungary.

A member of the Biman investigation committee told bdnews24.com that the emergency landing of the prime minister's plane appeared to have been caused by 'human error'.

"There was no big technical glitch on the aircraft. Preliminary investigation has found that what happened was caused by human error," he told bdnews24.com.

Preferring anonymity, he said the investigation was under way.

People related to the investigation said there was no problem with fuel on the aircraft. They said a nut of the tank for engine oil or lubricant was loose and the 'problem was fixed after tightening it'. 

The investigation found the aircraft's 'oil heat exchanger' or oil pressure sensor had undergone 'small repair work' some days earlier.

The member of the Biman committee said those who worked there had apparently touched or loosened the nut 'intentionally or unintentionally' and 'necessarily or unnecessarily'.  

"The engineers concerned did not attend to the loose nut, though they should have done it," the Biman investigator said.

On Nov 27, the Biman Boeing 777 'Ranga Prabhat' carrying the prime minister and her entourage to Budapest was compelled to make an emergency landing in the Turkmenistan capital Ashgabat.

The left engine of Biman Bangladesh Airlines' plane 'Ranga Prabhat' stopped when it was flying at an altitude of 30,000 feet with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on board on Nov 27, forcing an emergency landing in Turkmenistan.

Faced with criticism over the incident, Civil Aviation Minister Rashed Khan Menon admitted on Saturday that the 'negligence of officials rather than technical fault' was responsible for the emergency landing.

"Those concerned with the inspection of the aircraft before its take-off are guilty of a dereliction of duty. They did not do their job properly. That is why action has been taken against six employees," Menon said.

Biman suspended the six officials three days ago.

The prime minister has written off the emergency landing of her aircraft at Turkmenistan as a result of 'technical fault'.

"But both technical fault and human error can cause such problems," she said, recalling the attempts on her life in the past.

Captain Farhat Jamil

Biman's Director (Flight Operations) Captain Farhat Jamil was the most senior official representing Biman on the flight.

Captain Jamil, who flew the aircraft that brought back the prime minister from Budapest, said that the decision to make the emergency landing and later fly on to Budapest with the same aircraft was taken after due consultation with the prime minister.

"There was a small technical glitch and we commenced our journey to Budapest after it was fixed rather quickly," he told bdnews24.com.

The pilot did not say anything more, apart from noting that investigations were ongoing.

Pilots 'not responsible'

The 'Ranga Prabhat' was inducted into the Biman fleet two years ago.

On Nov 27, its lead pilot was the very experienced Captain ABM Ismail, who has clocked 4000 flying hours on Boeing 777.

What could Captain Ismail, with 20000 flying hours under his belt in two decades of flying, do under the circumstances on the day?

The B-Nut of 'Ranga Prabhat' was found loose. The oil sensor line beside it underwent work some days ago. 

Not much, say other pilots.

"Pilots are given the aircraft in a fit-to-fly condition. Maintaining the plane and keeping it air worthy is the job of technicians. If technical problems occur in the course of a flight, the pilots follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)," said Captain Mahbubur Rahman, president of the Bangladesh Airline Pilots' Association.

But since the matter was under investigation, Captain Mahbub refused to discuss the specifics of what happened on the day in question.

Experts have said the oil pressure line, wired over the engine, has a nut called 'B nut' next to the 'oil heat exchanger' or oil pressure sensor.

Lubricants pass through the oil pressure line.

As the pilots put it, if lubricants come out through any leak and drop below a certain level, the engine has to be stopped in line with SOP.

The Boeing-777 has two engines and can fly on one of them, even if one shuts down, they said.

Mum's the word

Besides Biman, the civil aviation ministry and Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh (CAAB) have formed two committees to investigate the incident.

No one heading the investigations has commented on the matter.

Captain Fariduzzaman, who is heading the committee set up by CAAB, did not want to discuss the findings of the inquiry.

"We were asked to submit the report within seven days and we have done that before the deadline," was all the ex-pilot told bdnews24.com.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the cockpit of 'Ranga Prabhat' when it was inaugurated in 2014.

Biman's Chief Technical Officer Fazal Mahmud, who heads the probe committee set up by the national carrier, also declined to speak.

Repeated calls to Additional Secretary Swapan Kumar Sarker, who heads the probe committee set up by the ministry, failed to elicit a response.

It is on the basis of the preliminary report of the four-member committee set up by Biman that six officials of the engineering and technical department of Biman have been suspended for 'negligence in performance of duty'.

The suspended officials are SM Rokonuzzaman, Samiul Haque, Lutfor Rahman, Milon Chandra Biswas, Zakir Hossain and Siddiqur Rahman.

"If anyone else is found to have been responsible, we will not hesitate to take action," said Minister Menon.

On Saturday, however, the prime minister shot down a plan by the civil aviation ministry to buy a new aircraft for her and the president.