Investigator: No information on whether chief pilot at controls when Air France flight fell

French uncertain whether chief pilot at controls

PARIS — A French accident investigator says it is unclear whether the chief pilot of Air France Flight 447 was at the controls when the plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean.

The head of France’s accident investigation agency, Paul-Louis Arslanian, also says he is “not optimistic” that rescuers will recover the plane’s black boxes miles (kilometers) under the water.

Pilots on long-haul flights often take turns at the controls to remain alert. Asked whether the chief pilot was in the cockpit when the plane went down, Arslanian told a news conference in France on Wednesday that there was no confirmed information either way.

He noted “we don’t even know the exact time of the accident.”

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

PARIS (AP) — A French accident investigator says there are no signs so far that Air France Flight 447 had problems before takeoff.

The head of France’s accident investigation agency, Paul-Louis Arslanian, says investigators are studying the plane’s maintenance and other records.

He told a news conference in France on Wednesday that there were no “elements” indicating a problem with the plane before it left Rio de Janeiro on Sunday night en route to Paris.

French investigators are leading the probe into what caused the plane to crash into the Atlantic Ocean while Brazilian rescuers lead the effort to recover the debris.