Screw Up and Go To Jail
- Thread starter B767Driver
- Start date
Aero_Engineer
Well-Known Member
Perhaps you didn't read the above.
An investigation is in progress, being conducted by the same agency that is responsible for Air Traffic Control, the same agency that instructed both airplanes to maintain FL370.
Do you trust that the Brazilian Air Force will be impartial?
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B767Driver
New Member
Aviation International News, November 2006, "Questions surround midair collision of Legacy and 737", p100, Elizabeth Johnson.
Aviation Week & Space Technology, October 9, 2006, "Midair over Amazon", Frances Fiorino, pp44-46.
Those aren't exactly hyperlinks, but let's see if we can work with them. You've asserted that the pilots were at the "wrong altitude", correct? By "wrong" I must assume that you'll agree that they were at some altitude other than the one they were assigned. The only altitude they could fly was the altitude they were assigned. To have flown at ANY other altitude would have been wrong, right?
So here's the deal. Where do you find the assertion in the "mainstream industry press" that they were not flying at their assigned altitude?
From the Aviation International News Online, we find another article written by Joe Sharkey, the freelance journalist that was aboard during the accident. Does he say they were at the wrong altitude?
Legacy 600 passenger recalls midair
No, he does not.
The article to which you refer does not appear in the OnLine version of the periodical. Does Ms. Johnson accuse the pilots of wrongdoing, or does she merely raise a question (implied by the title)? If she makes an accusation, does she support it with evidence?
I did find an article with the title you cited on Aviation Now:
TCAS A Key Factor In Amazon Midair By Frances Fiorino 10/08/2006 08:15:36 PM
There is within this article no accusation of flying at the wrong altitude. What it does say is the Legacy's FLIGHT PLAN altitude for the leg was FL360. Tell us what difference that makes once you're airborne? Unless you lose communications, it's irrelevant!! If the airplane was cleared to fly at FL370, then they were required to fly at FL370. If they lost communications, they would not descend to FL360, now would they?
There is NO evidence whatsoever that has been produced that would imply that the pilots of the Legacy have done ANYTHING wrong, whatsoever. NONE.
They were not at the WRONG altitude, and there were NO "other factors" as you insinuated. You owe these guys an apology.
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B767Driver
New Member
Mr Sharkey's recount is in the same issue as the other AIN article. His account is not technical but observational.
The AIN article expands upon the AW&ST article...but the authors infer using "flight plan" synonomously with their "clearance". It states, ".....the controllers contend they were telling the pilots to maintain their flight plan"...as if a clearance had been previously issued. (FWIW, the AIN article does say that they lost radio contact for an hour during the period they were to descend to FL360.)
But I don't really care to get into the semantics of the case. It certainly wasn't my intention to defame the Legacy crew, but to raise an awareness of international protocol in certain instances. However, I've certainly disturbed you...and for that I offer my apologies...and for any unintentional innuendos to the crew in detainment.
Fair enough. I accept your apology, and your assertion that your intent was to raise awareness. In that pursuit I am in 100% with you.
The treatment to the pilots by the government of Brazil is ludicrous, and should be vigorously protested.
Everybody needs to write your Congressmen. Write the Brazilian ambassador. Speak up.
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Murdoughnut
Well sized member
There are plenty of truck drivers in the U.S. who are serving time for involuntary manslaughter for mistakes they've made that have made them grossly neglegent for the deaths of others. Not sure why this would be any different (hypothetically I mean, if they were at fault).
ananoman
New Member
It's not that I think I am such a tough guy or anything. But, it seems that the authorities down there decided who was guilty before the investigation even started. What would you really have to gain by cooperating? They already have the radar and ATC tapes, along with the CVR data from the airplanes. I don't really see where being locked in a room with a couple of 'investigators' who take turns playing bad cop, good cop would really gain you anything.