Pilot Transcripts Show Idle Talk, Then Terror

Their training, experience is under scrutiny

(NEWSER) - Pilot error, not icing, appears to have caused the Continental Airlines crash in Buffalo that killed 50 people Feb. 12, an investigation report released today states. When a warning device alerted pilots they were flying too slowly, they pulled the plane’s nose up—rather than down, as pilots are trained to do—and disrupted airflow above the wings, reports USA Today. More»

(NEWSER) - The Continental turboprop plane that crashed last night near Buffalo, killing 50, was likely brought down by icing, MSNBC reports. The NTSB, which has recovered the cockpit voice recorder, said the crew talked about “significant ice buildup, ice on the windshield and wings” before crashing into a suburban neighborhood. Other planes in the area also reported ice buildup around the time of the crash. More»

Captain did opposite of proper procedure when plane stalled

(NEWSER) - The captain of the commuter plane that crashed in Buffalo in February, killing 50 people, wasn't properly trained on the plane's stall-protection system and had failed several flight tests, the Wall Street Journal reports. When the plane warned of an imminent stall, the pilot did the opposite of proper procedure, according to investigators. More»

(NEWSER) - Add this to the mix in the Buffalo plane crash: Southwest Airlines warned its pilots just weeks ago about a landing glitch involving the same runway the Continental flight was destined for, CNN reports. It seems an earthen dam near the runway interferes with signals in a so-called instruments landing, used during low visibility. The glitch could cause a plane's nose to pitch upward, generally consistent with the Buffalo circumstances. More»

Investigation insiders say pilot commands, not ice, sent plane into deadly dive

(NEWSER) - Early examination of the evidence has led investigators to believe that pilot error rather than a buildup of ice was to blame for the crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407, sources tell the Wall Street Journal. Investigative insiders believe the captain incorrectly pulled back on the controls as the aircraft slowed to an unsafe speed, and sent the plane into its fatal dive, according to the sources. More»