Dallas:The pilots of a Spanair SA plane that crashed last month in Madrid, killing 154 people, failed to extend wing flaps that are needed to give the aircraft enough lift for takeoff, according to a person familiar with the investigation.

Investigators believe that both engines on the McDonnell Douglas MD-82 jet were working properly, according to the person, who spoke yesterday on condition of anonymity because Spanish authorities have not discussed the cause of the crash.

Spanish investigators have declined to comment on the investigation into the August 20 crash.

Officials for Boeing Co., which bought McDonnell Douglas in 1997,and engine manufacturer Pratt Whitney declined to comment and referred inquiries to Spanish officials.

Flaps are moveable panels on the trailing edge of a plane s wings and provide extra lift during takeoff. The Spanair pilots should have received a warning a loud horn in the cockpit alerting them that the flaps were not extended before takeoff.

The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the investigation, reported on its Web site yesterday that investigators have focused on the theory that an electrical problem prevented the horn from sounding.

Investigations like the one in Spain often rely heavily on data recorded by so-called black boxes. A flight data recorder can reconstruct what was happening to the plane s mechanical systems, while a voice recorder captures cockpit conversations and other sounds that sometimes point toward the cause of an accident. (AP) BDS 09040716 DEL NNNN
Source : PTI