It was revealed by the National Transportation Safety Board that the UPS Cargo jet that crashed in Alabama last week was on auto pilot until seconds before it impacted short of the runway in Birmingham.

Robert Sumwait, a senior official with the NTSB said that the autopilot and the auto throttle were engaged as the jet came in for a landing at the airport. It is unknown if the alarm that went off warning of a too-fast descent about seven seconds beforre the crash prompted the crew to disengage the autopilot in an attempt to re-gain altitude.

As the jet came over the hill at the end of the runway, it clipped trees and electrical wires causing the flight to end in a fiery crash killing both pilot and co-pilot.

Acccording to Kevin Hiatt, the president and CEO of the Flight Safety Foundation, an international watchdog group, a full instrument landing on that runway at that airport was not advisable because of the terrain on the approach. He remarked that he had flown and landed on that runway many times himself. He stated that it is advisable to do a visual landing on that particular runway.

The NTSB, as part of its investigation, intends to test the runway with an instrument approach and landing in an UPS A300.

So far, the re is no indication that there were any engine problems or other mechanical failures or issues.

Killed in the crash were pilot, 58-year-old Matthews, North Carolina resident Cerea Beal Jr and co-pilot, 37-year-old Lynchburg, Tennessee resident Shanda Fanning. Beal had a total of 8,600 hours flying experience with more than 3,200 on the Airbus A300 the NTSB said.

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Pilot and Co-Pilot Killed When UPS Cargo Plane Crashes in Birmingham