Blame The Pilots

The NTSB recently issued its finding of probable cause in the February 12, 2009, crash of a Colgan Air Inc., Bombardier Dash 8-Q400, operating as Continental Connection Flight 3407 while on approach to the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport in Buffalo, New York. All 49 aboard, plus one person on the ground, died when the regional turboprop entered a stall and the flight crew failed to recover. To a total lack of surprise among those following the aftermath of this tragedy, the Board found the accidents probable cause to include a litany of failures in the cockpit and Colgan Airs procedures involving airspeed control in icing conditions. The NTSBs report included 46 conclusions and resulted in 24 recommendations to the FAA.

Key Takeaways:

• The NTSB concluded that the Colgan Air Flight 3407 crash was caused by pilot errors, including an unprofessional cockpit, poor airspeed control in icing, and incorrect stall recovery, alongside deficiencies in Colgan Air's procedures.
• The article suggests these pilot issues were representative of broader problems within regional aviation, prompting Congressional proposals for mandatory minimum flight hours for pilots.
• Both the author and FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt argue against simply mandating minimum flight hours, emphasizing that the quality and nature of pilot training are more critical than just the quantity of hours.
• The ultimate takeaway is that improving pilot quality in the U.S. airline system requires systemic changes in regional pilot training and scheduling, linked to the compensation airlines are willing to provide.

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