NTSB Hearings on USAir Flight 427 Crash Yield Promising Results

The chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has described the recent hearings in Pittsburgh into the crash of USAir Flight 427 as "successful" and potentially leading to the reason behind the catastrophic event that killed all 132 people on board. The Boeing 737 crash occurred on September 8, 1994, while approaching Pittsburgh International Airport from Chicago. The NTSB is currently investigating the cause of the accident.

Key Takeaways:

• The 737 is considered the "workhorse" of the aviation fleet with an "outstanding" safety record, according to NTSB Chairman Jim Hall.
• Robert Oaks, USAir vice president of safety, testified that pilot error was ruled out as a cause of the crash, and the flight crew was trained to react immediately to emergencies.
• Oaks also denied that maintenance shortcuts contributed to the crash, citing an outside audit that gave USAir high marks for safety since the accident.
• Capt. William Traub, a United Airlines training pilot, testified that his airline recently started training pilots in recovery procedures for flight control problems, unlike any other domestic airline at the time.
• Traub also stated that the bulk of pilot training occurred on flight simulators.

Statistics:

• 132 people lost their lives in the crash of USAir Flight 427 on September 8, 1994.
• The Boeing 737 is the main workhorse of the aviation fleet, according to NTSB Chairman Jim Hall.
• USAir has undergone an outside audit on its safety programs since the crash, which gave the airline high marks for safety.

Sources:

• "NTSB Chairman Hails Hearings on USAir Crash" by an unknown author, published in an unspecified source on January 27 (no date).
• The National Transportation Safety Board, although no specific date is known.