Crashed F100 oscillated sharply before losing height: Bek Air

Kazakh carrier Bek Air has disclosed details of the in-flight upset which affected the Fokker 100 which crashed on take-off from Almaty Dec 27. Bek Air states that the aircraft’s airframe and engine de-icing systems had been activated, and that the jet departed with zero flap extension. Bek Air said that the aircraft’s Rolls-Royce Tay engines and other systems were functioning normally with no anomalies evident. The carrier has not stated whether the aircraft underwent an external de-icing process before departure. As the aircraft lifted off, it immediately started oscillating, apparently initially to the left. While the inquiry has yet to reach any conclusions, similar oscillations on take-off have previously been recorded in Fokker 100s whose wing lift has been impaired by ice contamination. <br/>