Other Planes in Buffalo Area Had Icing and Landed Safely
Other pilots' experiences and evidence of the Buffalo airline accident that killed 50 people, points away from mechanical failure and toward icing and pilot actions as the cause of the catastrophe.
Just before the crash, the Colgan Air crew of Continental Connection Flight 3407 reported icing on the windshield, about a minute later the plane stalled, pitching and rolling violently, and fell to the ground within 26 seconds. According to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) member Steve Chealander, "Everything that's found thus far on the engine is consistent with high-powered flight," meaning, the plane's engine was running correctly.
Another Colgan turboprop that flew through the area about half an hour after Flight 3407 reported "moderate" icing and landed safely. Also, 50 miles south of the accident site, another flight crew reported the most dangerous category of icing, "severe," this crew also landed without incident.
In accordance with NTSB recommendations, the presence of ice in and around the area Flight 3407 went down in indictes that pilot, Capt. Marvin Renslow, should have been flying the plane manually. Instead, as the plane flew through dangerous weather, it was on autopilot, leaving Renslow with less than desireable feel for the plane. While the NTSB recommends that planes be flown manually in any icy conditions, the Federal Aviation Administration (FFA) says aircraft are safe on autopilot in "light to moderate icing," This discrepency in regulations is at the top of the NTSB's list of standards for the FAA to change.
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