Air accident investigators aim to release a final report into the cause of a plane crash that killed six people by the end of the year.
The Manx2. com flight from Belfast to Cork crashed on its third attempt to land in dense fog at the airport on February 10th 2011.
The Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) described its inquiry as highly complex and involving a number of jurisdictions, with Spanish and European aviation authorities being asked to respond to findings.
“While the investigation has no definitive date of release for the final report, every effort is being made to conclude the investigation and publish a final report by the end of the year,” a spokesman for the unit said.
Preliminary reports have been released and consultations over the AAIU’s findings are ongoing.
A number of lawsuits are expected to be launched once the final report is published including from relatives of passengers who died, the injured, and relatives of the flight crew.
The AAIU warned that it may take some time to finalise its investigation depending on the level and substance of responses.
Among the issues being examined were all operational and technical evidence and deeper systemic issues associated with the operation, such as organisational structures, oversight functions and legal frameworks.
A lot of that involved detailed translations from Spanish to English.
The six people killed in the tragedy were Spanish pilot Jordi Gola Lopez (31); co-pilot Andrew Cantle (27) from Sunderland; Brendan McAleese (39) from Co Tyrone; Pat Cullinan (45 )a partner in accountancy firm KPMG in Belfast; Captain Michael Evans (51) deputy harbour master in Belfast; and Richard Noble, a 49-year-old businessman who was originally from Derbyshire but lived in Northern Ireland.
Mr Cantle's family are taking legal action against FlightlineBCN, which was granted the Air Operator Certificate to run the service, and Airlada, which leased the plane and crew.
The AAIU last year said problems with engine number two of the twin turboprop Fairchild Metroliner which could have caused an uneven thrust from the wings. The plane is designed to be flown on one engine if necessary.
It also stated that the captain took the plane’s power controls seconds before it crashed.
PA