To speculate why an accident just happened is best left to self-appointed ”aviation experts”. Soon enough there will be professional evaluations. What can be said in general when an airliner goes down in the take-off face, is that there is normally something wrong with the plane. Pilot error has been a cause i very few cases, with disorientation a factor in some. Then again, an aircraft has to be prepared in many ways for take-off, where correct actions from the crew are sometimes crucial. De-icing of the wings would be a pilot error of sorts, if omitted when conditions would warrant it. Incorrect entry of valid take-off data would be another possible cause, not likely in the latest accident with a plane old enough to be operated with limited use of computers. And so on.
The main threats to flight safety, often mentioned in this blog – overworked and under-trained crews, under-maintained aircraft and fuel shortage – are probably not a factor in this case. Lack of fuel reserves can be ruled out with certainty. (!) Now, this turned out to be speculations of sorts after all, in spite of good intentions. While at it, de-icing – or the lack of it – is as good a guess as any a culprit. And we would be back to fatigued or badly trained crews. Soon we will know better.
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