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The aircraft involved in this tragedy was an eight-year-old Airbus A310. Originally purchased by Pan American Airlines, it changed hands to Delta Airlines after Pan Am's bankruptcy before being acquired by Tarom Airlines. Despite its relatively short operational history, the A310 had exhibited recurrent technical issues with its autothrust system, particularly related to the outer truss mechanisms.
The Issue with Autothrust Systems
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The Tragic Crash of Tarom Airlines Flight 371
On March 31, 1995, an Airbus A310 belonging to Tarom Airlines took off from Bucharest, Romania, embarking on what should have been a routine flight to Brussels. However, just a minute and a half into the flight, a series of catastrophic failures led to the worst aviation disaster in Romanian history, claiming the lives of all 49 passengers and 11 crew members on board.
Background on the Aircraft
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Airbus had acknowledged technical faults in the early models of the A310's autothrust systems, attributing problems to excessive friction between the linkages of the couplings. This malfunction could result in one engine's thrust level reducing while the other remained at takeoff power, creating an asymmetrical thrust situation. Unfortunately, this issue had been previously documented multiple times during the aircraft's usage with both Delta Airlines and Tarom, but maintenance crews were unsuccessful in replicating the conditions necessary to address the problem.
Events Leading up to the Crash
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On the day of the flight, Captain Livio Bartanio and First Officer Ian Stoy were in command, with the captain making the decision to monitor thrust levels carefully due to the aircraft's documented history of autothrust issues. The weather conditions in Bucharest were less than ideal, necessitating de-icing procedures that delayed the flight. Once cleared for takeoff, the aircraft initially performed as expected.
However, as the pilots began their climb and executed a left turn—unexpected due to a late instruction from air traffic control—the autothrust failure re-emerged, causing the thrust lever for the left engine to reduce toward idle while the right engine remained at takeoff power.
Rapid Descent into Disaster
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Around 2,000 feet, the thrust asymmetry began to significantly impact the aircraft's flight path. Initially unnoticed by the crew, the left engine's thrust reduction became increasingly evident as the bank angle of the aircraft increased, all while the captain was occupied with inputs on the flight management computer.
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As conditions deteriorated, First Officer Stoy began to realize the seriousness of the situation. Compounding this was the captain's sudden incapacitation shortly thereafter, evidenced by a groan captured on the cockpit voice recorder. Left to manage the increasingly precarious situation alone, Stoy faced a daunting task. The bank angle continued to increase, and moments later, the aircraft entered a rapid descent, rolling over almost completely before impacting the ground at a high speed.
Investigation and Findings
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Investigators at the crash site discovered the wreckage remarkably close to Bucharest Airport, with no survivors. The investigation revealed three critical factors contributing to the accident: thrust asymmetry, the incapacitation of the captain, and inadequate corrective actions from the first officer.
While service bulletins were issued by Airbus to address the autothrust system issues, the investigation prompted deeper scrutiny into training protocols for pilots, particularly in response to incapacitation events. Notably, the first officer had significant experience in Soviet-built aircraft, which operate differently than Western models, particularly regarding instrument readings—potentially affecting his situational awareness in high-stress scenarios.
Conclusion and Lessons Learned
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The disaster of Tarom Airlines Flight 371 underscored the need for aviation safety improvements, particularly concerning pilot training and emergency protocols. In the aftermath, aviation authorities enhanced training requirements for commercial pilots to better prepare them for situations involving incapacitated colleagues. Lessons learned from this tragedy emphasized the importance of maintaining control of the aircraft as the first priority, ensuring that pilots are equipped to react swiftly and effectively in crisis situations.
The crash remains a solemn reminder of the inherent risks in aviation and continues to inform safety practices within the industry today.