The pilots of TransAsia Airways Flight GE235 grappled with problems with both the plane’s engines before it clipped a bridge and crashed into a river, Taiwan’s Aviation Safety Council said Friday.
The stall warning went off in the cockpit five times, starting from about 37 seconds after takeoff, the aviation agency told reporters, citing information from the aircraft’s flight recorders.
One of the engines on the ATR 72 twin-engine turboprop aircraft experienced a flameout, or power failure, and the pilots failed in an attempt to restart the other engine, according to the agency.
They issued a mayday alert to air traffic control, announcing the engine flameout.
Flight GE235 crashed into the Keelung River in Taiwan’s capital, Taipei, shortly after taking off Wednesday with 58 people on board.
Authorities say that so far, 35 people have been confirmed dead, 15 survived and 8 are still missing, according to Taiwan’s official news agency CNA.
The Aviation Safety Council said Friday it was still collecting information on the disaster and wasn’t yet able to say what caused the problems on board the aircraft.