The Amsterdam Disaster: Pilot's communications

Recordings of radio contacts between the aircraft and Schiphol air-traffic controllers released yesterday show the pilot, Isaac Fuchs, struggled for nine minutes to regain control of the aircraft.

After telling the tower at 6.27pm that his No 3 engine was on fire, Mr Fuchs was given clearance for an emergency landing. Minutes later, the other right-hand wing engine burst into flames, and he lost control of the flaps. At 6.33pm, he radioed the message 'Going down'.

Three minutes later the aircraft crashed into the flats. Witnesses said it jettisoned fuel just before impact, in an apparent attempt to save lives.

Reports that the wings had been at 90 degrees to the ground at the time of the crash suggested that the pilot was still manoeuvring during his final seconds.

(Photograph omitted)