Investigation Summary
The investigation revealed a chain of operational and human factor failures. The airline was in severe financial distress, leading to delayed maintenance and unpaid salaries, which likely pressured the crew. On the night of the accident, the crew encountered thunderstorms and activated the engine anti-ice system, which reduces available thrust. Despite being over the maximum weight for their altitude under those conditions, the crew climbed to FL330. The autopilot attempted to maintain altitude by increasing the angle of attack as speed bled away. When the autopilot eventually disconnected, the aircraft stalled. The crew, confused by the lack of thrust (due to the high angle of attack disrupting airflow to the engines), reported a dual engine flameout. They held the nose up throughout the descent, remaining in a deep stall until impact.
Final Conclusions
The primary cause was the flight crew's failure to recognize and recover from a high-altitude stall. Contributing factors included the crew's lack of situational awareness regarding the aircraft's performance limits, poor crew resource management (CRM), and the airline's precarious financial situation which compromised safety oversight and training.
Video Analysis
West Caribbean Airways Flight 708 - The Deadly Descent — A detailed look at the events leading to the crash of Flight 708, including the pilot's confusion during the high-altitude stall and the airline's financial struggles.
Watch on YouTube ↗If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Systems & Failure Modes
Engine Anti-Ice
Uses bleed air from the engines to prevent ice buildup, but significantly reduces the maximum available thrust.
Autopilot
Attempted to maintain the assigned altitude by increasing the pitch, which caused the airspeed to drop to dangerous levels.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was carrying 152 passengers, all of whom were French citizens from Martinique.
- 02The MD-82's maximum sustainable altitude for its weight and configuration that night was approximately 31,900 feet.
- 03The crew held the control column back (nose-up) for nearly the entire duration of the descent.
- 04West Caribbean Airways went bankrupt and ceased operations shortly after the accident.
Safety Actions & Advisories
High-Altitude Stall Training
The accident led to a global emphasis on 'Upset Recovery Training,' specifically focusing on the unique aerodynamics of high-altitude stalls where traditional recovery techniques must be applied decisively.