Air Crash Daily | Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409 Crash Animation @AirCrashDaily | Uploaded January 2023 | Updated October 2024, 1 day ago.
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Accident Description: instagram.com/p/Cn16MfQuxLo/?igshid=OGQ2MjdiOTE=

𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗶𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗙𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝟰𝟬𝟵 was a scheduled international passenger flight from Beirut to Addis Ababa, operated by a Boeing 737-800 (Reg. ET-ANB) on 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟱, 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟬.

The plane took off from Beirut's runway 21 at 02:36. After takeoff ATC instructed ET409 to turn right on a heading of 315° and change frequencies and contact Beirut Control. ET409 acknowledged the clearance and continued a right turn. ATC instructed ET409 to turn left heading 270°, which was acknowledged. The flight continued the climbing left turn to heading 270° but did not maintain that heading. The plane continued on a southerly track. Just prior to reaching altitude of 7,700 feet, the stick shaker activated, sounding for a period of 29 seconds.

Meanwhile the plane reached an angle of attack (AOA) of 32° and began a descent to 6,000 feet. When the stick shaker ceased, the plane began to climb again. At 02:40:56, just prior to reaching 9,000 feet, the stick shaker activated again, sounding for a period of 26 seconds. After reaching 9,000 feet the plane made a sharp left turn and descended rapidly. The maximum registered bank angle was 118° left and the plane reached a maximum registered speed was 407.5 knots at a G load of 4.412. The plane disappeared from the radar screen and crashed into the Mediterranean Sea at 02:41:30.

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀:
1- The flight crew's mismanagement of the aircraft's speed, altitude, headings and attitude through inconsistent flight control inputs resulting in a loss of control.
2- The flight crew failure to abide by CRM principles of mutual support and calling deviations hindered any timely intervention and correction.
𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀:
1- The manipulation of the flight controls by the flight crew in an ineffective manner resulted in the aircraft undesired behavior and increased the level of stress of the pilots.
2- The aircraft being out of trim for most of the flight directly increased the workload on the pilot and made his control of the aircraft more demanding.
3- The prevailing weather conditions at night most probably resulted in spatial disorientation to the flight crew and lead to loss of situational awareness.
4- The relative inexperience of the Flight Crew on type combined with their unfamiliarity with the airport contributed, most likely, to increase the Flight Crew workload and stress.
5- The consecutive flying (188 hours in 51 days) on a new type with the absolute minimum rest could have likely resulted in a chronic fatigue affecting the captain's performance.
6- The heavy meal discussed by the crew prior to take-off has affected their quality of sleep prior to that flight.
7- The aircraft 11 bank angle aural warnings, 2 stalls and final spiral dive contributed in the increase of the crew workload and stress level.
8- Symptoms similar to those of a subtle incapacitation have been identified and could have resulted from and/or explain most of the causes mentioned above. However, there is no factual evidence to confirm without any doubt such a cause.
9- The F/O reluctance to intervene did not help in confirming a case of captain's subtle incapacitation and/or to take over control of the aircraft as stipulated in the operator's SOP.