Lithuanian prosecutors stated on Wednesday that human error was likely the cause of the DHL cargo plane crash in Vilnius last November. The aircraft, en route from Leipzig, Germany, was approaching Vilnius Airport when it went down just a few kilometers from the runway. Rescue services said the plane hit the ground and slid at least 100 metres before crashing into the building.
The DHL aircraft was operated by Swiftair, a Madrid-based contractor. An airport spokesperson said the plane was a 31 year old Boeing 737-400
"The primary cause of the crash is believed to be human error," the Prosecutor General's Office stated.
Following an analysis of witness interviews, site inspections, flight recorder data, cockpit conversations, and other investigative findings, prosecutors concluded that the crash was likely caused by a disabled hydraulic system responsible for deploying the flaps.
An audio recording between the cockpit and control tower in the last few minutes before the crash showed that everything appeared routine.
According to aviation expert Vidas Kaupelis, who listened to the recording, the pilots did not declare any signs of alarm when talking to the flight controllers.
The control tower gives the flight clearance to land, the plane confirms, then contact is lost. Moments later, the control tower is heard telling another flight to hold its takeoff as there’s been a crash.
“Without going into details, it is possible to say that the pilots did not declare any danger, no problems. It was routine communication, a simple descent,” said Kaupelis.
“The fact that the aircraft crashed a few seconds after the end of the communication shows that the pilots themselves were surprised. If they had been dealing with major problems, like a fire or technical problems, they would have communicated about it with the flight controllers,” he added.
With all the information now presented, other possible causes have been ruled out. Spanish authorities have been asked to question the pilot, a Spanish national recovering from his injuries in Spain.
Footage from a nearby security camera captured the moment the plane descended and disappeared behind a building. Seconds later, a fireball lit up the sky, followed by a column of thick black smoke.
This You Tube video shows the thick smoke immediately after the crash
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