Unforeseen descent: DHL cargo plane crashes in Vilnius
The conversation between air traffic controllers and the pilots of the crashed DHL plane in Vilnius has been published online. "The conversation was entirely routine, with no signs of distress, yet the cargo plane suddenly nosedived and crashed to the ground," reported LRT.lt. One of the pilots died, and three other people on board were injured.
Aviation expert Vidas Kaupelis, who listened to the recorded conversation, stated that the pilots did not report any issues with the aircraft.
"The pilots did not report any threats or issues"
"This indicates that the pilots were unaware of whatever was happening on the plane. It seems unlikely that an explosion occurred, as such an event would have caused the plane to disintegrate. Similarly, the likelihood of a fire in the cargo hold seems low because the pilots would likely have noticed something," writes LRT.lt
"I listened to that recording. Without delving into details, it can be said that the pilots did not report any threats or issues. It was routine communication, a regular landing approach. The fact that a few or several seconds after communication ended, the plane crashed indicates that the situation was unexpected for the pilots. Had they been dealing with serious problems—like a fire or technical issues—they would certainly have communicated this to the air traffic controllers," says Vidas Kaupelis.
Analyzing the possible causes of the crash, Vidas Kaupelis suggested that technical problems, an error, or—although unlikely—a terrorist act could have caused it.
Surveillance camera footage has emerged. It shows that the plane did not explode or disintegrate in the air. The landing approach seemed routine, although there was a sudden drop just before the end. I consider that part of the crew survived to be a miracle," adds Kaupelis.
When asked if a fire could have broken out in the cargo hold, the interviewee stated that in such a case, "the pilots would have reported problems to the air traffic controllers, but nothing like that happened."
"The recording captures standard aviation communication"
Mindaugas Mikulionis, an instructor from the Antanas Gustaitis Institute of Aviation at VILNIUS TECH, stated in a conversation with LRT.lt that "the recording captures standard aviation communication."
"The plane contacts the approach control in Vilnius, asking about the method of approach. The control confirms that the approach will proceed according to the established procedure. There is nothing extraordinary happening there, nothing that could indicate something would end badly," commented the expert.
The Boeing 737 of the Spanish airline Swiftair, conducting a flight from Leipzig, crashed at about 11:30 PM Eastern Time during its approach to land at the Vilnius airport. According to information provided by local authorities, quoted by the BBC, the aircraft hit a private house, which caused a fire.
The company "Teltonika" released footage from an industrial camera. The video shows the plane approaching for landing. At some point, the aircraft disappears behind trees, and a huge fireball appears.
