A communique regarding the catastrophe of CASA C-295M airplane
by: Press spokesman for Air Force Command
23.01.2008.
Communique
24.01.2008 r.
12:00
Regarding: Rescue operation after the crash of CASA-295 airplane and about forces and means involved in the rescue operation
On January 23, 2008 the C-295M airplane was on the scheduled flight on route Okęcie - Powidz - Krzesiny - Mirosławiec - Świdwin - Kraków. After taking off from Okęcie airport at 1651 hours the airplane, with crew of four and 36 passengers, made the following interlandings:
- Powidz, at 1635 - 1751 hours, nine soldiers left the airplane
- Krzesiny, at 1811 - 1824 hours, 11 soldiers left the airplane
After taking off from Krzesiny at 1824 hours the C-295M airplane was led by the Air Force traffic controllers. The airplane was flown, according to plan, at the altitude 4900 m., with the average speed of 400 km/h. The airplane was monitored on its entire route by two systems of air control. At 1907 hours the on-duty service of the Air Operations Center received the information from the 22nd Command and Leading Center (Ośrodek Dowodzenia i Naprowadzania - DDN) in Bydgoszcz about the catastrophe of the C-295M airplane, about 1 km away from the landing strip of the Mirosławiec airport.
There were 16 passengers and 4 crew members on the deck of the airplane. At 1907 hours the Ground Search Group of the 12th Air Base in Mirosławiec began the rescue operation, commanded by LT-COL Zbigniew WOLEWICZ, a deputy commander of the 12th Air Base.
Other forces and means, from outside of Ministry of National Defense, participated in the rescue operation: Police, Medical Emergency, State Firefighters and Voluntary Firefighters.
Chief of the General Staff of Polish Armed Forces GEN Franciszek Gągor and Air Force Commander LT-GEN pilot Andrzej Błasik reached the place of accident early at night hours. They were joined later by Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Minister of National Defense Bogdan Klich.
The families of the soldiers who died in the catastrophe were being informed about it by representatives of commands of military units, doctors, psychologists and chaplains.
The Investigative Commission for Aircraft Accidents of the State Aviation began its work during the night hours.
The commander of Air Force ordered all his military units to create teams for care and aid for families of soldiers who died in the catastrophe.
On the order of the commander of Air Force - all CASA C-295M flights are suspended until further notice.
The CASA C-295M airplane, with the side number 019, was one of the newest transport airplanes in Polish Air Force. It was manufactured in 2007 and received by Polish Air Force in August 2007. The airplane had 393 flight hours and it went through the first technical periodic service on November 29, 2007. The airplane was still under warranty, which covered two exploitation years and 600 flight hours.
Regarding: Weather conditions for the C-295M airplane on route Krzesiny-Mirosławiec
Due to many reporters' questions regarding weather conditions for the C-295M airplane on its route Krzesiny-Mirosławiec I inform what follows:
Airport Krzesiny: 1830 hours - clouds 7/4; clouds base 390 m; visibility 5 km, foggy, wind 180/2; temperature 0.8 Celsius; humidity 94%; pressure 1029.4 hPa
Airport Mirosławiec: 1900 hours - clouds 8/7; clouds base 90 m; visibility 3 km; foggy; wind 190/1; temperature 0.7 Celsius; humidity 97%; pressure 1027.0 hPa.
Press spokesman of Air Force Command
LT-COL Wiesław Grzegorzewski
