Mechanics who worked on crashed Spanish plane are suspects

by Dave Keating | October 16, 2008 at 02:38 am

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The massive plane crash in August that killed 154 people in Spain may possibly have been caused by the mechanics who were operating on the plane, and they are being questioned on suspicion of manslaughter.

The Spanish judge investigating an August plane crash that killed 154 people in Madrid will question three mechanics on suspicion of manslaughter, a Madrid Superior Court spokesman said Thursday.

The mechanics include two who worked on the Spanair plane on the day of the crash and Spanair's head of maintenance, the spokesman said.

They are under "official investigation," a serious legal designation that could lead to an indictment, the spokesman said.

All three have been called to appear before the judge November 12.

The crash happened August 20 shortly after the MD-82 took off from Madrid's Barajas Airport bound for the Canary Islands. The plane managed to rise only slightly before coming down quickly to the right of the runway, its tail section hitting the ground first, just off the asphalt, said Francisco Javier Soto, a top official of Spain's accident investigative commission.