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| Concorde crash trial set to open | Concorde crash trial set to open |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| US airline Continental and five individuals go on trial in France later over the crash of an Air France Concorde nearly 10 years ago. | US airline Continental and five individuals go on trial in France later over the crash of an Air France Concorde nearly 10 years ago. |
| The jet took off in flames from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport and crashed minutes later, killing 113 people. | The jet took off in flames from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport and crashed minutes later, killing 113 people. |
| An official report said Concorde had hit a metal strip from a Continental plane that had taken off earlier. | An official report said Concorde had hit a metal strip from a Continental plane that had taken off earlier. |
| But Continental's lawyers say they can prove the supersonic jet caught fire before it struck the titanium strip. | But Continental's lawyers say they can prove the supersonic jet caught fire before it struck the titanium strip. |
| The stricken Concorde flight 4590 crashed in the town of Gonesse in July 2000, hitting a hotel and killing four people there as well as all 109 on board. | The stricken Concorde flight 4590 crashed in the town of Gonesse in July 2000, hitting a hotel and killing four people there as well as all 109 on board. |
| Fleet grounded | Fleet grounded |
| Most of the passengers were German tourists heading to New York to join a luxury cruise to the Caribbean. Nine French crew members also died. | Most of the passengers were German tourists heading to New York to join a luxury cruise to the Caribbean. Nine French crew members also died. |
| The entire fleet of Concordes was grounded until an inquiry established that one of the plane's tyres had burst, causing debris to shoot out and rupture a fuel tank. | The entire fleet of Concordes was grounded until an inquiry established that one of the plane's tyres had burst, causing debris to shoot out and rupture a fuel tank. |
| The crash occurred shortly after take-off from Charles de Gaulle airport | The crash occurred shortly after take-off from Charles de Gaulle airport |
| Leaking kerosene then ignited and caused the catastrophe. | Leaking kerosene then ignited and caused the catastrophe. |
| After nearly a year and a half out of service, in November 2001, the jets took to the air once more with new reinforced fuel tanks, but inquiries continued. | After nearly a year and a half out of service, in November 2001, the jets took to the air once more with new reinforced fuel tanks, but inquiries continued. |
| In December 2004 a judicial investigation concluded that a piece of metal left on the runway by another aircraft had caused one of Concorde's tyres to burst and shred. | In December 2004 a judicial investigation concluded that a piece of metal left on the runway by another aircraft had caused one of Concorde's tyres to burst and shred. |
| Investigators said the 43cm (17in) metal strip had fallen from the engine casing of a Continental Airlines DC-10 and in March 2008 a French public prosecutor asked judges to bring manslaughter charges. | Investigators said the 43cm (17in) metal strip had fallen from the engine casing of a Continental Airlines DC-10 and in March 2008 a French public prosecutor asked judges to bring manslaughter charges. |
| Houston-based Continental Airlines is denying responsibility. | Houston-based Continental Airlines is denying responsibility. |
| Olivier Metzner, a lawyer for Continental, said he would challenge the official view that the metal strip led to the crash. | Olivier Metzner, a lawyer for Continental, said he would challenge the official view that the metal strip led to the crash. |
| "We are going to fight it and establish that the Concorde caught fire eight seconds before this scrap of metal met with the Concorde - so about 700m (2,300ft) before," he said. | "We are going to fight it and establish that the Concorde caught fire eight seconds before this scrap of metal met with the Concorde - so about 700m (2,300ft) before," he said. |
| This is denied by Air France, which is not facing charges. | This is denied by Air France, which is not facing charges. |
| CONCORDE 1962: Separate French and British projects join forces1967: Prototype rolled out in Toulouse1 October 1969: First supersonic flight21 January 1976: First commercial flight26 November 2003: Fleet retiresRange: 4,300 miles (6,880km)Top speed: Mach 2 (1,335mph; 2,150km/h)Fastest crossing from Europe to New York: Two hours 52 minutes and 59 seconds Q&A: Concorde crash trial class="" href="/2/hi/europe/8492937.stm">Concorde crew's last words | |
| As well as Continental, five individuals are being prosecuted. | As well as Continental, five individuals are being prosecuted. |
| They include John Taylor, the Continental mechanic who allegedly fitted the metal strip to the DC-10, and Stanley Ford, a maintenance official from the airline. | They include John Taylor, the Continental mechanic who allegedly fitted the metal strip to the DC-10, and Stanley Ford, a maintenance official from the airline. |
| Also facing charges are Concorde's former chief engineer Jacques Herubel, and Henri Perrier, a former head of the Concorde division at Aerospatiale - now part of the aerospace company EADS. | Also facing charges are Concorde's former chief engineer Jacques Herubel, and Henri Perrier, a former head of the Concorde division at Aerospatiale - now part of the aerospace company EADS. |
| Claude Frantzen, a former member of France's civil aviation watchdog, is the fifth individual defendant. | Claude Frantzen, a former member of France's civil aviation watchdog, is the fifth individual defendant. |
| Manslaughter charges can carry penalties of up to five years in prison and a 75,000 euro ($104,000) fine - but correspondents say that in the case of guilty verdicts, suspended prison sentences are more likely in this case. | Manslaughter charges can carry penalties of up to five years in prison and a 75,000 euro ($104,000) fine - but correspondents say that in the case of guilty verdicts, suspended prison sentences are more likely in this case. |
| Only some of the victims' families will be represented at the hearings, as many took compensation from Air France after the crash in return for not taking legal action. | Only some of the victims' families will be represented at the hearings, as many took compensation from Air France after the crash in return for not taking legal action. |
| The trial, in Pontoise, near Paris, is expected to last four months. | The trial, in Pontoise, near Paris, is expected to last four months. |
| The disaster was the only crash ever to involve a Concorde supersonic airliner. | The disaster was the only crash ever to involve a Concorde supersonic airliner. |
| Air France and British Airways retired their Concorde fleets in 2003. | Air France and British Airways retired their Concorde fleets in 2003. |