Taiwan plane blackbox reveals "mayday" call 35 seconds after noticing engine failure

[TAIPEI] The blackbox data and voice recorders of a TransAsia plane that crashed into a river in Taipei showed that the pilot called "mayday" and announced an engine flameout 35 seconds after noticing engine failure, aviation authorities said on Friday.

About one minute after the announced flameout, the black boxes stopped recording, the Aviation Safety Council told a news briefing on Friday.

A flameout can occur when the fuel supply to an engine is interrupted or when there is faulty combustion.

TransAsia Flight GE235 was carrying 58 passengers and crew when it lurched nose-up between buildings, clipped an overpass and a taxi with one of its wings and then crashed upside down into a shallow river after taking off on Wednesday.

At least 31 people were killed.

REUTERS