TransAsia has offered NT$14.9 million (US$473,000) in compensation to the family of each deceased person on board flight GE235, which crashed into Keelung River in northern Taipei on February 4.The total compensation figure includes emergency relief funds of NT$200,000 (US$6,300) already provided by the airline to the families affected, as well as a funeral allowance of NT$1.2 million (US$38,000).
Data from the aircraft’s flight recorders indicate that the aircraft plane lost power in one engine just after take-off but the crew shut down the other working engine and attempted to restart it shortly before the aircraft came down. This action is being questioned by investigators.
Meanwhile, some 10 TransAsia ATR pilots have been banned from flying temporarily after failing a flight skills test ordered after last week's plane crash.
Those who failed the test have been grounded for one month and ordered to undergo further qualification training, the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said.
"Of the 49 pilots and co-pilots who took the tests aimed to measure their proficiency in the operation of aircraft were evaluated as 'less skillful'," said Lin Chih-ming, director of the CAA."They have to take further training programmes. From the risk management perspective, this is a must," he said.
19 of TransAsia's 68 ATR pilots that have not yet taken the test, because they are either on training programmes abroad or sick leave, have been ordered not to fly in the interim.