The China Airlines co-pilot grounded after August's crash at Chek Lap Kok may be allowed to fly again next month after being cleared of blame in an initial investigation. Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) and China Airlines said they had been told by SAR investigators that co-pilot Liu Cheng-hsi, 36, was not responsible for the crash on August 22. The Taiwanese pilot will need the CAA's final approval before he can resume flying. The CAA says it is aiming to make a decision before late November when his three-month break allowed by the airline ends. However, Italian captain Gerardo Lettich, 58, may have to wait for completion of the full investigation - which could take two years - before the CAA decides whether he can resume flying. He was not cleared in the initial probe. The China Airlines MD-11 jet crashed and overturned in flames while landing during a typhoon, killing three and injuring more than 200 passengers and crew. An airline spokesman said: 'The Hong Kong investigators did not find Mr Liu to have any operational problem.' Head of the CAA's flight standards division, Hsu Yung-hao, said a more detailed investigation was needed before drawing a conclusion on the co-pilot. 'It's just the opinion of Hong Kong's chief investigator. We'll need to gather more information,' Mr Hsu said. A spokesman for China Airlines said Mr Liu, grounded since the crash, was taking a rest and would join his colleagues for a retraining programme ordered by the CAA. He said Mr Liu was allowed to rest until late next month. Soon after the crash, Mr Liu was accused of giving the wrong crosswind data to Captain Lettich as the MD-11 came in to land. He allegedly told Captain Lettich the northwesterly crosswinds were blowing at 22.7 knots when the real speed was 26.6 knots. The maximum cross-wind limit when landing on a wet runway for the airline was 24 knots while the MD-11 jet could bear a wind speed of up to 35 knots. The airline spokesman said that even if Mr Liu was confirmed to have provided wrong data, the problem would not have been the direct cause of the crash. Other flights had landed without problems before and after the accident. The airline has raised the possibility of wind shear as a major factor in the crash. The accident inspector's report said the jet's speed fell from 170 to 152 knots between an altitude of 21m to just before touchdown. The spokesman said Captain Lettich was in Italy. His doctor had advised him not to travel.
