This article from NYTimes.com has been sent to you by psa188@juno.com. Doomed Planes Tried to Avoid Collison July 19, 2002 By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Filed at 8:30 a.m. ET BERLIN (AP) -- Pilots of two jets that collided over southern Germany killing 71 people each saw the other aircraft coming and attempted last-ditch avoidance maneuvers a few seconds before the planes hit at 35,000 feet, investigators said Friday. Partial assessments of the black-box recorders also found that both planes' computers simultaneously told pilots to take emergency evasive action 36 seconds before the July 1 crash, nine seconds later than previously estimated, the German air accident investigation office said. ``The recordings allow the conclusion that members of both planes' crews saw the other aircraft a few seconds before the crash and attempted to avoid the collision with appropriate maneuvers,'' the office said in a statement. The planes slammed into each other at a right angle, it said. Frank Goeldner, a spokesman for investigators, refused to elaborate on the final seconds, saying the inquiry was not yet complete. The onboard collision-warning systems, both of which were working properly, directed the Russian Bashkirian Airlines Tu-154 to climb and the DHL International Boeing 757-200 cargo jet to descend. But the Russian pilot followed orders 43 seconds before the crash from Swiss air traffic control to descend, putting him on a collision course. Even as it descended, the Russian plane's onboard computer told it eight seconds before impact to ``increase climb.'' Swiss controllers oversee German airspace in the border region where the crash happened. According to a timeline provided by investigators Friday, both planes' computers warned them of a ``possible conflict'' 50 seconds before the crash without suggesting any action. Seven seconds later Swiss air traffic control warned the Russian plane to descend, but the pilot responded only to a second warning 29 seconds before the crash -- one second later than investigators previously believed. Shortly afterward, the cargo plane, which was also descending, was told by its onboard computer to ``increase descent.'' Some 13 seconds before the crash -- compared with the previously estimated 15 seconds -- the DHL pilot told ground control over his radio that he was following a cockpit computer warning to descend. It remains unclear whether the controller got the message. The crash killed 69 people on the Russian plane, including 45 school students heading for a Spanish beach vacation, and the two DHL pilots. Investigators have focused on the role of Zurich controllers. Swiss prosecutors in Zurich have launched a criminal investigation into whether charges of negligent homicide are warranted. A lone controller was on duty at the Zurich flight control center at the time of the crash while a colleague took a break, a collision-warning system was down for maintenance and work also was being done on the phones. Russian officials have said the Bashkirian Airlines pilot made the correct decision to follow the air traffic controller's order over his onboard warning system. Western experts, however, maintain a cockpit warning system takes precedence. http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-Germany-Airliner-Crash.html?ex=1028082549&ei=1&en=b03ad99dc994ba66 HOW TO ADVERTISE --------------------------------- For information on advertising in e-mail newsletters or other creative advertising opportunities with The New York Times on the Web, please contact onlinesales@nytimes.com or visit our online media kit at http://www.nytimes.com/adinfo For general information about NYTimes.com, write to help@nytimes.com. Copyright 2002 The New York Times Company