the subsequent investigation into the disaster revealed that control mistakenly believed that flight 1308 was out of its holding pattern, believing it was already located over the sea, while in reality it was located inland, over the mountainous terrain of corsica. the crew, apparently surprised at the instruction to descend, repeated several times that they were still in the holding pattern, which the control acknowledged. the crew was unfamiliar with the airport and its vicinity, as this was the first flight of inex-adria aviopromet to corsica. the investigation determined that the imprecise language used by the crew of the md-81 and the air traffic controller played a significant role in the accident. air traffic control in ajaccio was cleared of all charges. the air traffic controller in charge of flight 1308 was transferred to another airport in france.