What happened
On 31 May 2009, an Airbus A330-203, registration F-GZCP, was operating a scheduled flight from Rio de Janeiro-Galeão to Paris Charles de Gaulle. The aircraft was carrying 216 passengers and 12 crew members. During the cruise phase at flight level 350, the flight encountered a convective zone associated with the inter-tropical convergence zone. As the aircraft moved through a period of turbulence, the crew noted that high temperatures prevented them from climbing to a higher altitude.
At approximately 2:10 AM, the autopilot and auto-thrust systems disconnected. Following this disconnection, the aircraft experienced a significant drop in airspeed and the flight control law transitioned from normal to alternate law. The pilot flying began making various pitch and roll inputs, while the aircraft's pitch attitude increased. During this period, the stall warning activated continuously for approximately 54 seconds. The aircraft's angle of attack rose sharply, and the trimmable horizontal stabilizer moved to a significant nose-up position.
As the flight progressed, the crew struggled with invalid airspeed indications and loss of flight data. Despite attempts to manage the aircraft, the vertical speed reached a descent rate of approximately -10,000 feet per minute. The Ground Proximity Warning System eventually issued "sink rate" and "pull up" alerts. The aircraft disappeared from radar, and the wreckage was later located 3,900 meters below the ocean surface.
Findings
- The flight encountered severe turbulence and convective weather.
- The autopilot and auto-thrust disconnected during the flight.
- The aircraft experienced a loss of valid airspeed indications.
- The flight control law reconfigured to alternate law.
- The stall warning was triggered continuously for a period of time.