The general Brazilian population and Chapecoense Football fans are angered by reports that emerged proving the airplane which crashed days ago headed to Colombia did not have enough fuel to complete the trip. To make matters worse, audios and documents from private airport operators revealed a dangerous pattern.
Flying on a dry tank
An airport operator opened a complaint against the company LaMia Airlines citing that the plane landed several times without enough fuel, provoking anger and concern to airport operators who feared the worse could happen.
The airport representative explained the cheating technique known as "flying on a dry tank." Airplanes are able to fly for a certain period of time without fuel thus saving the companies some cash but this is a very risky action. The practice is prohibited and if caught, an airline receives hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines, sometimes enough to break a small charter company.
Father in law of pilot asks for forgiveness
It is alleged via social media and news reports, backed by audios and documents that LaMia pilots practiced the risky technique of flying on a dry tank. The father-in-law of the pilot who was operating the charter flight which crashed asked for forgiveness but, it is highly unlike that public and family members accept it.
Just ten days ago the private airport representative who brought up allegations against LaMia, said he warned the government in Brazil and Bolivia, asking that the company and pilots be investigated, followed by a request to suspend their operating licenses.
The inquiry was not investigated early enough prevent the fatal crash
Unfortunately, the inquiry did not start before the fatal Crash, resulting in the death of most team members. A goal -keeper had his leg amputated, others are in comas. Only three survived. Family members and fans are still trying to come to terms with the tragedy: “It was 77 people’s lives in the hands of one pilot. It was not just one family. It shocked the whole world, there is no doubt the company was wrong" said the nephew of the football coach Eduardo Preuss, killed in the crash.
