UNCLAS ANTANANARIVO 001220

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E-MBEYZEROV
DEPARTMENT FOR EB/TRA
DEPARTMENT FOR DS/IP/AF-AKORT
NTSB FOR DJONES

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAIR ECON ETRN MA
SUBJECT: UPDATED INFORMATION REGARDING THE PLANE CRASH IN TULIARA,
MADAGASCAR

REF: A) ANTANANARIVO 1199
B) JONES/SIBLEY EMAIL 10/25/2006


1. At approximately 0415 on Wednesday morning, October 25, a small,
private plane crashed shortly after take-off in Tuliara (also known
as Tolear), a coastal city in southwestern Madagascar. All six
persons (two crew members and four passengers) on board died. The
crew members have been identified as Zo Randriampenomanana and
Stphane Rarivoson; both were Malagasy citizens. The passengers
have been identified as Elvezio Domeniconi, Angelo Corvini, Gianluca
Marcolini, and Carlo Pozzi. Initial reports stated that all four
were Italian citizens, but several recent reports identify passenger
Domeniconi as a Swiss national.


2. After learning that the aircraft was a U.S.-manufactured Cessna,
a Senior Air Safety Investigator with the National Transportation
Safety Board (NTSB) contacted Post requesting assistance (Ref B).
The NTSB investigator cited the provisions of Annex 13 of the
International Civil Aviation Organization, which states that the
U.S. Government, as the State of Manufacturer, wanted to notify the
appropriate government authority of the availability of U.S.
technical assistance for the accident investigation.


3. Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) George N. Sibley met with Director
General (DG) Francois Randriamahandry of Aviation Civile de
Madagascar (ACM) on Thursday, October 26, 2006 to personally offer
the investigative assistance of the NTSB. The Government of
Madagascar (GOM) accepted the offer, and in doing so, stressed the
need for a rapid deployment of this assistance due to the ongoing
deterioration of the crash site and the impact that maintaining the
security of the site will have on local law enforcement and
administrative resources.


4. In order to initiate their investigation, the NTSB investigator
requested the collection of the following information:

Q: Date, time and location of the accident:
A: October 25, 2006, 04:15 (local), Tuliara, Madagascar

Q: The make & model of the aircraft:
A: Cessna 425 Conquest

Q: The serial number of the aircraft:
A: 425-0032

Q: The owner and operator of the aircraft:
A: Societ Malagache de Construction et de Terrassement (SMCT) and
Service et Transport Aerien (STA)

Q: The aircraft registration number:
A: 5R-MGV

Q: Flight plan filed:
A: Yes

Q: VFR or IFR flight:
A: VFR

Q: The departure and destination of the flight:
A: Toliara to Antananarivo

Q: The number of pilots and passengers aboard the aircraft: A: Two
pilots and four passengers

Q: The type of injuries to the occupants:
A: All fatal

Q: The circumstances of the accident:
A: DG Randriamahandry stated that according to the initial
investigation, the Toliara airport firefighters saw sparks coming
from the aircraft immediately after take off. They saw the plane
take a hard turn to the right before crashing, as if it were
attempting to return to the airport. The firefighters arrived at
the crash site seven minutes later and the plane was completely
burned, with no possibility of survivors.

Q: Weather conditions at the time of the accident:
A: Clear, but still dark, departure coming shortly before dawn.

Q: Contact information and identity of the Investigator-In-Charge:
A: Director General Francois Randriamahandry, Aviation Civile de
Madagascar (ACM), telephone +261-20-22-639-49, mobile phone
+261-32-05-694-50, fax +261-20-22-247-26, email: randriaf@acm.mg or
acm@acm.mg. (Note: Contact speaks fluent French and fair English).


4. The GOM has set up a commission to investigate the accident that
is composed of four entities:

Aviation Civile de Madagascar (ACM)

Aeroports de Madagascar (ADEMA)

Bureau des Enquetes, Accidents et Incidents (Office of
Investigation, Accidents and Incidents) at the Ministry of Transport
(BEAC)

Agence pour la Securite de la Navigation Aerienne en Afrique et a
Madagascar (Agency for Navigational Security in Africa and
Madagascar) (ASECNA)


5. Post Point of Contact is: DCM George N. Sibley, email:
sibleygn@state.gov, phone: +261-20-22-212-57.

MCGEE