Air Traffic Controllers Responsible for Death

[sqwkvfr]

Ok, now I've learned to NOT trust the media's account of aircraft crashes....especially local media..but does anyone know "the rest of the story" on this one?

WCJB TV20 News

Air Traffic Controllers Responsible for Death
11/16/2004

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - A judge has ruled that air traffic controllers were partly liable for the crash of a single-engine plane that killed an Orange Park couple and two Jacksonville lawyers in 2001.


U-S District Judge Timothy Corrigan found that the Federal Aviation Administration held 65 percent of the blame for the crash because controllers didn't give pilot Donald Weidner the most current weather information.

The judge ruled Weidner was 35 percent to blame because he was trying his third instrument-landing approach after two missed approaches at a time when he was tired, ill and on cold medication.

Corrigan said he will meet with attorneys to schedule a bench trial on the amount of damages.

Weidner, law partner Thomas Bowden and their clients, photography studio owners James and Adrienne Abrisch, died when the Piper Cherokee crashed in thick fog in a wooded, swampy area near Jacksonville International Airport on December 12th in 2001. Weidner served as executive director of the Republican Party of Florida in 1979. He ran unsuccessfully in 1992 against U-S Representative Corrine Brown, a Jacksonville Democrat.

 

[Uncle Sparky]

If they give the ATC's the chair, does that mean that they'll only run the voltage up to "65%"?

 

[A Squared]

Jesus H christ on a popsicle stick!

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20011218X02407&key=1

Freeeking Private pilot lawyer loses control on a missed approach in Low IFR and crashes a perfectly good airplane ... and they say ATC is 65% responsible?????

This is depressing.

 

[bigD]

It IS depressing!

It's always someone else's fault.

 

[Uncle Sparky]

I hope you're not just coming to this realization!? Why do you think an FAA/PMA bolt costs $300 and a new 172.....$200,000 or more?........Greedy Lawyers!

 

[A Squared]

I hope you're not just coming to this realization!? Why do you think an FAA/PMA bolt costs $300 and a new 172.....$200,000 or more?........Greedy Lawyers!

Naw, , I've known this for a while. It's just discouraging to see yet another example of this kind of crap.

 

[Uncle Sparky]

...couldn't agree more! I've dreamed of owning my own airplane since I was a kid...........pretty much given up on that idea....I'd have to be an idiot in this day and age! insurance.....parts.....maintenance...FUEL!

 

[BRIGADEAVIATOR]

Sad to see stories like this. Yet another example that bad mouths aviation in the public's eyes. Seems like the pilot didn't go by the "IMSAFE" Checklist. I remember an old instructor tell me:

"If ATC makes a mistake the PILOT dies, If the pilot makes a mistake the PILOT still dies."

I've learned not to listen to the media when it comes to aviation because you hear things like," Today a Piper Cessna has crashed into a Boeing A330."And this comes from their so called aviation experts!!??

 

[nosehair]

Ok, now I've learned to NOT trust the media's account of aircraft crashes....especially local media..but does anyone know "the rest of the story" on this one?

WCJB TV20 News

"The rest of the story", is that Lawyers died in this crash,...and *somebody* is gonna pay, and pay big. That's like killing a cop.

 

[Wankel7]

What complete load of crap...i just read the entire NTSB narative and it seems like pilot error all the way. I feel so bad for that ATC controler.

James

 

[jetexas]

The judge ruled Weidner was 35 percent to blame because he was trying his third instrument-landing approach after two missed approaches at a time when he was tired, ill and on cold medication.

So he was flying when he should not have been (IMSAFE)? Sounds like the pilot was 100% to blame for this one.
ATC didn't give him the weather? Well surely he called and got a thorough briefing and knew the area was low IFR before he ever filed and departed? Didn't he?
They told him the last two a/c that came in broke out 50-100 ft above DH. That sounds like a pretty good sitrep to me.

 

[A Squared]

For those of you too busy to take a look at the NTSB report, here's some of the highlights:

The pilot: total time 965 hours. Got his instrument rating on February 8, 2001 (crash was on Dec, 12, 2001) 17 hours instrument time, 24 hours hood time. Toxicology report showed a bunch of OTC cold medications and his brief case had an even larger selection of OTC meds.


Weather: Night, crash was at 1941, evening civil twilight had ended at 1753
" ....wind calm, visibility 1/4 statute mile in fog, clouds indefinite ceiling vertical visibility 100 feet, temperature and dew point temperature 68 degrees F, altimeter setting 30.20 in. Hg."

Brand new instrument pilot, relatively low TT, very low IFR conditions, nighttime .... and it's 65% the controllers fault. WHat is wrong with these courts???????