“Quick investigation” – Hail storm victims take Gewessler accountable!

It must have been pure horror what the passengers of AUA flight OS434 from Palma de Mallorca to Vienna experienced. Because when the plane flew through a heavy hailstorm, the Airbus was extensively damaged. The fact that nothing more happened may seem like a miracle to some.

The horror flight affair spreads further
The repaired plane is now circling through the air again. The AUA rejected the criticism but announced a comprehensive investigation into the incident. A complaint of negligence has now been filed for endangering the public and authorities are investigating.

But the affair is now spreading to domestic politics. In a letter sent in advance to krone.at, those affected, represented by the Viennese lawyer Wolfgang List, also hold Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) responsible.

Gewessler watches over the aviation authority
The minister – not necessarily a supporter of air travel herself – and her department also monitor the agendas of the Supreme Administration for Civil Aviation (OZB). And this means that the Ministry of Climate Protection oversees airlines, air traffic control services and quality assurance in civil aviation.

This is precisely why the letter to the Climate Protection Department does not skimp on criticism: “The circumstances surrounding the handling of this very dangerous hail incident on AUA flight OS434 raise legitimate concerns about whether airline oversight and quality control […] is perceived in the correct form.”

Evidence not immediately secured?
It is also clear that “evidence critical to determining the cause was not secured immediately after the incident,” the letter continues. Those affected therefore call for a “rapid, objective, complete and transparent investigation”.

“Those affected, some of whom are seriously traumatized, have the right to be informed about the reasons why their lives and limbs have been endangered,” writes lawyer List.

In concrete terms, those affected ask eleven questions that Gewessler and the responsible authorities are expected to answer:

1. There would have been an early warning from the weather monitoring of the hailstorm on the flight route. Those affected therefore want to know whether the impending dangers could have been recognised.
2. The question also arises whether a Flying around the weather event would have been easily possible.
3. The question is still open whether that is the case The pilot was in the cockpit at the time of the incident and if not, why not.
4. It is also unclear when the Federal Security Investigation Board (SUB) when the responsible authority was informed of the incident.
5. The SUB only started its investigation with “significant delay”, according to the letter. The question about that Timing and conduct of the investigation therefore needs to be clarified.
6. Particularly explosive in this context: the data from Cockpit Voice Recorder and the Flight Data Recorder should not be secured after the incident.
7. Also the Provide weather radar after the accident raises questions. Possibly there was an application error that caused the pilots not to notice the storm in time.
8. The AUA itself initially classified the accident as a ‘malfunction’, which does not necessarily necessitate an investigation by the SUB. They now want to know if the hail incident is now “serious condition” classified and therefore one compelling research are carried out.
9. Also explosive: the plane flew over when landing densely populated urban area of ​​Vienna: “What measures have been taken to ensure that no uninvolved people on the ground […] are in danger – for example from falling aircraft parts?”
10. In this context, the Access path on runway 11 Vienna-Schwechat Airport was questioned: “A clear potential source of danger for residents.”
11. Also that the ill-fated plane was with us “small dents”which was only supposed to be addressed during the general maintenance in November has been put back into service, as the AUA itself announced, those affected want this to be clearly clarified.

By the way, the letter will not only reach Climate Protection Minister Gewessler, the club leaders of the parliamentary parties will also receive it. It is therefore not unlikely that the affair surrounding the hailstorm flight will soon concern the National Council.