Crash of the Polish Air Force One, 2014 Status Report
By Maria Szonert Binienda, J.D.
SCNDMSB2014SR

V. Russian Report

D. Fabricated Documentation

Problems with Acoustics Readings

[18] (right) Acoustic Analysis of FDR; Source: A. Gruszczyńska-Ziółkowska

The Polish side made four attempts to copy CVR in order to obtain the correct reading of the last seconds of the flight. Each copy made by the Russian side was of a different duration and none of these recordings provides reliable information of the last seconds of the flight.

Numerous problems have been raised in connection with the acoustic reading of the flight data recorders. The problems range from different lengths of the same recording, the lack of professional analysis of acoustic image of the recording, incorrect read-out and interpretation of the recordings to fundamental problem with the reliability and integrity of the flight data recordings.

As demonstrated by Dr. Gruszczyńska Ziółkowska, copies form the recorders available to the Polish side show signs of manipulation. This conclusion is based on the professional acoustic analysis. ⁷⁰

Fabricated Statements

In the Russian Report, the following statement allegedly made by a member of the Polish crew is quoted several times: “He will go crazy.”⁷¹ This statement is used throughout the report to prove that there was pressure on the pilots to land coming from a third party, namely from the Main Passenger - President of Poland Lech Kaczynski. None of these statements was identified in the CVR transcripts made by two Polish scientific institutes.⁷² These non-existent statements were presented by Russians as proof that late President Kaczynski exerted pressure on the PIC “to land at any means,” thus contributed to the Smolensk Crash.

The words “he will go crazy... ”' were never uttered by the crew of the Polish Air Force One. Both the Polish Aviation Committee and the Polish Prosecutor's Office publicly concluded that no such statement was ever uttered by any member of the Polish crew. The Polish side unequivocally rejected any suggestions that the crew might have undergone any psychological pressure from any third party to continue descent. According to the Polish Response, “the record of the on-board voice recorder located in the cabin of the aircraft Tu-154M (CVR) did not reveal any passage confirming the attempt to influence the actions of the crew by third persons, including the Main Passenger.”⁷³ This position was presented by the spokesman of the Polish Main Military Prosecutor's Office on April 19, 2011, as follows: “In the documents gathered thus far, there is no evidence whatsoever indicating that the crash of TU-154 was caused by undue pressure exerted on the crew of the TU-154." This position was further confirmed in March of 2014.⁷⁴

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Footnotes:

⁷⁰ Anna Gruszczyńska-Ziółkowska, „Jak brzmi uderzenie samolotu w brzozę?”, II Konferencja Smoleńska, October 21-22, 2013, Warsaw, Poland, http://bit.ly/1mgRmqN (retrieved March 24, 2014).

⁷¹ Russian Report in English, p. 103: A number of phrases recorded by the CVR (at 10:30:33 “Pan Director”: “So far no President’s decision what to do next” and at 10:38:00 unidentified voice 23: “He’ll go crazy if...”) show that the PIC was in psychologically difficult position. It was obvious that in case of missed approach and proceeding to the alternate airdrome the PIC could have to face negative reaction of the Main Passenger. As the phrase “He’ll go crazy if...” was said during the final turn the PIC could have changed his previous decision and decided to take the risk of descending lower than the decision altitude hoping to finally establish visual contact with the runway and land. Document retrieved on March 17, 2014.. http://bit.ly/1d9oLTZ

⁷² Zapis z rejestratora fonicznego, NPW, http://bit.ly/P6tJq3

⁷³ Polish Response in English, p. 66.

⁷⁴ No pressure on the Pilots; See: http://bit.ly/P6tSK6 , (retrieved March 14, 2014).