Seggy
Well-Known Member
NTSB Public Hearing on Flight 3407 Begins Tuesday, May 12, 2009
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) public hearing, being held as part of the investigation into the Colgan Air Flight 3407 accident, will begin next Tuesday, May 12, 2009 in Washington, D.C. ALPA Executive Air Safety Chairman Capt. Rory Kay has been asked to provide testimony during the hearing, which is expected to last three days.
ALPA has specifically been asked to comment on Association positions, industry efforts, and Association programs in fatigue education, training, commuting, and professional standards. Several of ALPA’s formal standing committees are providing input and support to the testimony development. As part of our preparation, members of the CJC ALPA investigative team—which includes Colgan pilots, other ALPA pilots, and staff—as well as the Accident Investigation Board and members of the MEC attended a pre-hearing conference at the NTSB where they received a briefing on the protocols and ground rules for the hearing.
During the public hearing, the four-member NTSB will hear testimony from 19 witnesses on a variety of topics including icing, operations, crew training, and safety programs. Witnesses will then be questioned under oath by a technical panel of NTSB investigative group chairmen and a Transportation Safety Board Canada-accredited representative, as well as the NTSB members. ALPA, as a party to the investigation, will have the opportunity to question witnesses, as will all the other parties (i.e., the FAA, Colgan Air, and Bombardier).
In addition to the ALPA safety team officially representing the Colgan pilots and the Association during the hearing, ALPA staff from the Engineering & Air Safety and Communications Departments will attend the hearing. Your MEC officers will also attend the hearing on behalf of Colgan pilots.
The MEC officers, in conjunction with representatives from ALPA National, will act as spokesmen for our pilot group in interviews with reporters regarding the hearing. AS A REMINDER: IF YOU ARE CONTACTED OR APPROACHED BY ANYONE REGARDING THE HEARING, PLEASE DO NOT COMMENT. Instead, direct them to media@alpa.org, or have them contact Linda Shotwell of ALPA’s media relations team at 703/481-4440.
We will keep you informed with daily updates from the hearing. The CJC MEC FastRead will include these updates, so look for them in your e-mailbox.
The NTSB investigation process will continue after the public hearing with further fact-gathering, followed by analysis. ALPA will continue to be fully involved, performing its own analysis and submitting its report with recommendations to the NTSB. The final report on the accident will likely not be released for at least a year.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) public hearing, being held as part of the investigation into the Colgan Air Flight 3407 accident, will begin next Tuesday, May 12, 2009 in Washington, D.C. ALPA Executive Air Safety Chairman Capt. Rory Kay has been asked to provide testimony during the hearing, which is expected to last three days.
ALPA has specifically been asked to comment on Association positions, industry efforts, and Association programs in fatigue education, training, commuting, and professional standards. Several of ALPA’s formal standing committees are providing input and support to the testimony development. As part of our preparation, members of the CJC ALPA investigative team—which includes Colgan pilots, other ALPA pilots, and staff—as well as the Accident Investigation Board and members of the MEC attended a pre-hearing conference at the NTSB where they received a briefing on the protocols and ground rules for the hearing.
During the public hearing, the four-member NTSB will hear testimony from 19 witnesses on a variety of topics including icing, operations, crew training, and safety programs. Witnesses will then be questioned under oath by a technical panel of NTSB investigative group chairmen and a Transportation Safety Board Canada-accredited representative, as well as the NTSB members. ALPA, as a party to the investigation, will have the opportunity to question witnesses, as will all the other parties (i.e., the FAA, Colgan Air, and Bombardier).
In addition to the ALPA safety team officially representing the Colgan pilots and the Association during the hearing, ALPA staff from the Engineering & Air Safety and Communications Departments will attend the hearing. Your MEC officers will also attend the hearing on behalf of Colgan pilots.
The MEC officers, in conjunction with representatives from ALPA National, will act as spokesmen for our pilot group in interviews with reporters regarding the hearing. AS A REMINDER: IF YOU ARE CONTACTED OR APPROACHED BY ANYONE REGARDING THE HEARING, PLEASE DO NOT COMMENT. Instead, direct them to media@alpa.org, or have them contact Linda Shotwell of ALPA’s media relations team at 703/481-4440.
We will keep you informed with daily updates from the hearing. The CJC MEC FastRead will include these updates, so look for them in your e-mailbox.
The NTSB investigation process will continue after the public hearing with further fact-gathering, followed by analysis. ALPA will continue to be fully involved, performing its own analysis and submitting its report with recommendations to the NTSB. The final report on the accident will likely not be released for at least a year.