Flight Safety Information March 5, 2010 - No. 049 In This Issue ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NTSB: Pilots In 2008 Tulsa Crash May Have Been Impaired Both Occupants Tested Positive For Medications Two pilots who were killed when the Cessna 320D they were flying went down in the traffic pattern at Airman Acres Airport near Collinsville, Oklahoma in September, 2008 tested positive for different medications. The NTSB says that impairment was possibly a contributing factor in the accident. The probable cause is listed as the crews' failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall close to the ground. According to the probable cause report issued Wednesday, Harvey Hazelwood, a private pilot, owned the 320 and had been working on restoring the aircraft for four years. He had a history of hip pain treated with nortriptyline, a prescription antidepressant also used for pain control, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder treated with fluoxetine, a prescription antidepressant also used for other psychiatric conditions, and trazodone, a prescription antidepressant also used for insomnia. Toxicology findings were consistent with the ongoing use of all three drugs. Nortriptyline has adverse cognitive and performance effects, particularly with higher blood levels, and fluoxetine may interfere with its metabolism, potentially raising the blood level of nortriptyline. It is possible that the pilot was impaired or distracted by his hip pain, or impaired by nortriptyline. Larry Jackson, a commercial pilot and friend of Hazelwood's, who had helped him with the restoration project, occasionally used diphenhydramine, an over-the-counter sedating antihistamine, for allergy symptoms, and toxicology findings were consistent with recent ingestion of the drug. In typical doses, diphenhydramine commonly results in drowsiness, and has measurable effects on performance of complex cognitive and motor tasks, even in individuals who feel normal after ingesting the drug. The NTSB found it was likely that Jackson was impaired by recent ingestion of diphenhydramine. Neither pilot had indicated the use of the detected medications or conditions for which they were used on their last applications for Airman Medical Certificate. The Tulsa World reports both pilots lived at Airman Acres. In it's factual report issued December 1st, 2009, the NTSB said Jackson was rated for airplane single and multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. He also held a certified flight instructor certificate for airplane single-and multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. His last second class FAA medical was issued on June 10, 2008. At that time, he reported a total of 2,000 flight hours. Hazelwood was rated for airplane single and multi-engine land. He also had an FAA airframe and power plant certificate. His last third class FAA medical was issued on June 28, 2007. A review of his last FAA airman application dated September 1, 2008, revealed he had a total of 215 flight hours. The NTSB said it was not possible to determine who was flying the aircraft at the time control was lost. examination of the airplane and both engines revealed no premishap mechanical deficiencies. FMI: www.ntsb.gov Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NTSB To Study Glass Cockpits In GA Aircraft Focus Is Effect On Safety With New Technology The NTSB will hold a public Board meeting to consider a study on what effect the introduction of glass cockpits into small light general aviation airplanes is having on the safety record of those aircraft. In 2000, almost all new single engine light airplanes were manufactured with conventional analog flight instruments. Today almost all new light planes come equipped with digital flight display avionic systems, also known as "glass cockpits." The enhanced function and information capabilities of these systems represent a significant change and potential improvement in the way general aviation pilots monitor information needed to control their aircraft. The NTSB initiated this study to determine if the transition to glass cockpits in light aircraft would improve the safety record of those planes. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at 9:30 a.m. ET, in its Board Room and Conference Center, 429 L'Enfant Plaza, S.W., Washington, DC. FMI: www.ntsb.gov Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Technology: Toyota secretive on 'black box' data SOUTHLAKE, Texas (AP) - Toyota has for years blocked access to data stored in devices similar to airline "black boxes" that could explain crashes blamed on sudden unintended acceleration, according to an Associated Press review of lawsuits nationwide and interviews with auto crash experts. The AP investigation found that Toyota has been inconsistent - and sometimes even contradictory - in revealing exactly what the devices record and don't record, including critical data about whether the brake or accelerator pedals were depressed at the time of a crash. By contrast, most other automakers routinely allow much more open access to information from their event data recorders, commonly known as EDRs. AP also found that Toyota: _ Has frequently refused to provide key information sought by crash victims and survivors. _ Uses proprietary software in its EDRs. Until this week, there was only a single laptop in the U.S. containing the software needed to read the data following a crash. _ In some lawsuits, when pressed to provide recorder information Toyota either settled or provided printouts with the key columns blank. Toyota's "black box" information is emerging as a critical legal issue amid the recall of 8 million vehicles by the world's largest automaker. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said this week that 52 people have died in crashes linked to accelerator problems, triggering an avalanche of lawsuits. When Toyota was asked by the AP to explain what exactly its recorders do collect, a company statement said Thursday that the devices record data from five seconds before until two seconds after an air bag is deployed in a crash. The statement said information is captured about vehicle speed, the accelerator's angle, gear shift position, whether the seat belt was used and the angle of the driver's seat. There was no initial mention of brakes - a key point in the sudden acceleration problem. When AP went back to Toyota to ask specifically about brake information, Toyota responded that its EDRs do, in fact, record "data on the brake's position and the antilock brake system." But that does not square with information obtained by attorneys in a deadly crash last year in Southlake, Texas, and in a 2004 accident in Indiana that killed an elderly woman. In the Texas crash, where four people died when their 2008 Avalon ripped through a fence, hit a tree and flipped into an icy pond, an EDR readout obtained by police listed as "off" any information on acceleration or braking. In the 2004 crash in Evansville, Ind., that killed 77-year-old Juanita Grossman, attorneys for her family say a Toyota technician traveled from the company's U.S. headquarters in Torrance, Calif., to examine her 2003 Camry. Before she died, the 5-foot-2, 125-pound woman told relatives she was practically standing with both feet on the brake pedal but could not stop the car from slamming into a building. Records confirm that emergency personnel found Grossman with both feet on the brake pedal. A Toyota representative told the family's attorneys there was "no sensor that would have preserved information regarding the accelerator and brake positions at the time of impact," according to a summary of the case provided by Safety Research & Strategies Inc., a Rehoboth, Mass.-based company that does vehicle safety research for attorneys, engineers, government and others. One attorney in the Texas case contends in court documents that Toyota may have deliberately stopped allowing its EDRs to collect critical information so the Japanese automaker would not be forced to reveal it in court cases. "This goes directly to defendants' notice of the problem and willingness to cover up the problem," said E. Todd Tracy, who had been suing automakers for 20 years. Randy Roberts, an attorney for the driver in that case, said he was surprised at how little information the Avalon's EDR contained. "When I found out the Toyota black box was so uninformative, I was shocked," Roberts said. Toyota refused comment Thursday on Tracy's allegations because it is an ongoing legal matter, but said the company does share EDR information with government regulators. "Because the EDR system is an experimental device and is neither intended, nor reliable, for accident reconstruction, Toyota's policy is to download data only at the direction of law enforcement, NHTSA or a court order," the Toyota statement said. Last week, Toyota acknowledged it has only a single laptop available in the U.S. to download its data recorder information because it is still a prototype, despite being in use since 2001 in Toyota vehicles. Three other laptops capable of reading the devices were delivered this week to NHTSA for training on their use, Toyota said, and 150 more will be brought to the U.S. for commercial use by the end of April. By contrast, acceptance and distribution of data recorder technology by other automakers is commonplace. General Motors, for example, has licensed the auto parts maker Bosch to produce a device capable of downloading EDR data directly to a laptop computer, either from the scene of an accident or later. The device is available to law enforcement agencies or any other third party, spokesman Alan Adler said. Spokesmen from Ford and Chrysler said their recorder data is just as accessible. "We put what you would call 'open systems' in our vehicles, which are readable by law enforcement or anyone who has a need to read that data," Chrysler spokesman Mike Palese said. Nissan also makes its EDR data readily available to third parties using a device called Consult, spokesman Colin Price said. The program allows access to a host of vehicle data, from diagnosing the cause of a check-engine light to downloading EDR data after a crash, he said. However, Honda does not allow open access to its EDR data. Spokesman Ed Miller said the data is only readable by Honda and is made available only by court order. In many cases, attorneys and crash experts say EDR data could help explain what happened in the moments before a crash by detailing the positions of the gas and brake pedals as well as the engine's RPM. "Had Toyota gotten on the stick and made this stuff available early on, I think they'd be in a better position than they are now," said W.R. "Rusty" Haight, owner of a San Diego-based collision investigation company. In congressional hearings on the recalls last week, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Toyota's EDR data cannot be read by a commercially available tool used readily by other automakers. "Toyota has a proprietary EDR, which is the system that only they can read," LaHood said. The AP review of lawsuits around the country found many in which Toyota was accused of refusing to reveal EDR and other data, and not just in sudden acceleration cases. In Kentucky, to cite one example, a recent lawsuit filed by Dari Martin over a wreck involving a 2007 Prius sought information from Toyota to bolster his claim that the car's seatbelt was defective. Toyota refused, contending there was no reliable way to validate the EDR data and that an engineer would have to travel from New Jersey or California at a cost of some $5,000 to retrieve it. "There is simply no justifiable reason for Toyota not to disclose this information," Martin's lawyers said in a court filing. Lawsuits in California and Colorado have accused Toyota of systemically withholding key documents and information in a wide variety of accident cases, but no judge or jury has found against the car company on those allegations. Some crash experts say Toyota shouldn't bear too much criticism for failing to capture large amounts or specific kinds of data, because EDR systems were initially built for air bag deployment and not necessarily to reconstruct wrecks. They also vary widely from vehicle model to model, said Haight, the San Diego collision expert. "That doesn't mean I'm hiding something or preventing you from getting something," Haight said. "It simply means that, in the development of a car, other considerations took priority - nothing more." Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ India to need over 1,030 aircraft in 20 years Between 2009 and 2028, airlines in India will require 1,032 aircraft, worth about $138 billion, to serve the strong demand for passenger air travel and freight, and to replace ageing fleets with new more fuel-efficient aircraft, according Airbus's Global Market Forecast. Of these aircraft, 993 would be new passenger aircraft valued at $131 billion and 39 would be new freighters valued at $7 billion. The number of new aircraft required by Indian carriers is the world's fifth biggest. The new passenger aircraft consists of 638 single aisles such as the A320 family, 287 twin aisles such as the A350 XWB and A330/A340, and 68 very large aircraft such as the A380, the Airbus forecast said. The freighter requirement is for 39 new aircraft such as the A330-200F. Airbus estimates that by 2028, Indian passenger fleet will almost quadruple to 1,163 aircraft. As well as an additional 993 new passenger aircraft, 170 will remain in service. The freighter market will grow nearly twenty fold by 2028, mushrooming to 210 aircraft comprising of 39 new freighters and 171 conversions from passenger aircraft. India will be the fastest growing country for air travel for the next 10 years with domestic traffic increasing by an average 12.2 per cent per year, the study said. Traffic growth will also be amongst the world's highest averaging 7.3 per cent over the next 20 years compared to 4.7 per cent world average. Growing urbanisation, a concentration of demand and the increasing number of dynamic mega-cities, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, are driving demand for larger aircraft in all categories. India's proximity to fast growing economies, its relatively nascent aviation market and the county's growing economy are all factors fuelling demand for air travel. By 2028, India's gross domestic production is forecast to surpass that of the United Kingdom. "The Indian economy is showing signs of rebounding and this will translate to new aircraft orders by 2012. Long term, the potential for growth in India's aviation sector remains exceptional. Airbus has been a partner to the India aviation sector for longer than any other aircraft manufacturer, and with Airbus' modern and fuel efficient range of eco-efficient products, we believe this partnership will continue to flourish," said Miranda Mills, Airbus vice president, sales, India. Airbus' partnership with India dates back to 1974 when the first Airbus was ordered. Today, nearly half of all forward A320 doors are produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, and over 150 highly trained local engineering talent working on high end analysis and design work at the Airbus Engineering Centre India (AECI). Established in 2006, the centre will grow to 400 by 2012. The Bangalore Airbus Training India will have the capacity to train up to 1,000 pilots per year. Today, Airbus wins some 70 per cent of Indian aircraft orders and represents 65 per cent of India's fleet. http://business.rediff.com/report/2010/mar/05/india-to-need-over-1030-aircraft-in-20-years.htm [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103140749490&s=6053&e=0015tlLmJUoqNSCeQCWy2LY2HNlOq2swz0kZJ8fmIe1MWXxKtjtGvUJInAyBmDg69l3euuvhi-AlYnedRutm4-tkCHDH35VB9T0hVppxI8VcUMdVQSGh1AeUNC8InohlB5aPcPyeFdlslzyi5Irv89kGMrcUo38MF7E_SniMpZj403Uk-bH09lt1I53Xc6Dy5u3SmctxVZzMrYIbAsmlOnqjxcE9NIFp6yg] Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jetstar changes operating procedures after mishandled A320 flight Australian low-cost carrier Jetstar has changed its flight operating procedures following a 2007 incident in which its pilots mishandled a go-around while trying to land at Melbourne Airport. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), which classified the incident as serious, released its report on it today. On 21 July 2007, Jetstar pilots attempted to land an Airbus A320, registration VH-VQT, at Melbourne Airport. The aircraft was operating on a scheduled service from Christchurch. Because of low visibility conditions due to fog, the crew was unable to land the aircraft and had to execute a go-around, says the ATSB. However, the pilot did not move the aircraft's thrust levers to the "take-off/go-around" position, which resulted in the aircraft continuing its descent to the runway in automated flight mode. It reached a minimum recorded height of 38 feet above the runway before it responded to manual flight crew inputs and started to ascend, says the ATSB. "The aircraft was subsequently processed by air traffic control for another approach. This second approach also resulted in the crew conducting a missed approach, which was completed within expected parameters," adds the ATSB. The aircraft was then diverted to Avalon Airport, where it landed safely, says the ATSB. In its investigations, the bureau found that before the incident, Jetstar had changed its go-around procedure and "moved the positive confirmation of flight mode to a much later position in the procedure". The change required for confirmation of an aircraft's flight mode to be made only after a "positive rate of climb was obtained". "In this instance, due to the aircraft continuing to descend, with the crew distracted by unexpected warnings and a subsequent increased workload, this call could not be made by the flight crew," says the ATSB. The bureau also found that Jetstar failed to comply with incident reporting requirements, as the carrier did not report the incident to the ATSB. As a result of the incident, Jetstar has changed its go-around procedure to reflect that published by Airbus as the aircraft manufacturer, says the ATSB. A formal risk management process will also be needed to support any changes to aircraft operating procedures, it adds. "In addition, the operator is reviewing its flight training requirements, has invoked a number of changes to its document control procedures, and has revised the incident reporting requirements of its safety management system," adds the bureau. http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/03/05/339110/jetstar-changes-operating-procedures-after-mishandled-a320.html [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103140749490&s=6053&e=0015tlLmJUoqNQv2xNmGqx5Ocan3QsPe3IScxJ6ngKNElAsBQk2aEe5er9Wme_h3XQCMK3iSoLWMPisE_Lg9qXs0ryNmDrxKoqt] Back to Top [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103140749490&s=6053&e=0015tlLmJUoqNQv2xNmGqx5Ocan3QsPe3IScxJ6ngKNElAsBQk2aEe5er9Wme_h3XQCMK3iSoLWMPisE_Lg9qXs0ryNmDrxKoqt] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Korea, China to boost cooperation in aviation safety Korea and China reached an agreement Friday to improve aviation safety and flight control efficiency through increased bilateral cooperation, government officials here said, according to Yonhap News. The agreement was made after the two sides ended a two-day meeting in Xian, China, aimed at boosting cooperation in the aviation sector, the South Korean Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs said in a press release. Under the deal, they will hold working-level talks every year to discuss how to control air traffic, open new flight routes and other related measures of mutual interest, the ministry said. They agreed to hold an annual workshop aimed at sharing safety-related expertise and building a personnel network between the two countries. http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2010/03/05/201003050079.asp Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ House Transportation Committee Approves Additional Manpower & Funding for NTSB The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved H. R. 4714 this week to reauthorize the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) for fiscal years 2011 through 2014. The Committee has approved greater investigative powers and more funding as well as an additional 66 personnel for the NTSB in 2011. The bill would make it easier for the NTSB to subpoena witnesses for its investigations by allowing it to request evidence and information without formally scheduling a hearing. The bill would clarify that the NTSB does not need to wait until an investigation is complete to make preliminary safety recommendations. The bill as amended by the committee would require the NTSB to develop criteria for determining whether to hold public hearings while conducting investigations or studies. The legislation would specify that the board has the authority to investigate transportation incidents, not just accidents, and it would require the board to determine the causes and probable causes, instead of the cause or probable cause, of events under investigation. The bill would allow the NTSB to conduct safety training classes and investigate overseas accidents in coordination with the State Department. Funding for the NTSB would grow by about $7 billion to $124.2 billion by fiscal 2014. http://www.rotor.com/Default.aspx?tabid=510&newsid905=63242 Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ US senators urge FAA to study pilot commuting In the wake of the Colgan Air Flight 3407 accident, US lawmakers are urging regulatory authorities to study the impact of long-distance commuting on pilot fatigue. During a recent hearing of the Senate commerce, science and transportation committee, Senators pressed officials from the US FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to undertake a widespread study of airline pilots to establish what connection, if any, exists between commuting pilots and fatigue. Findings of the NTSB investigation following the February 2009 accident of a Colgan Air Bombardier Q400 that crashed on approach to Buffalo concluded that inappropriate pilot response to a stick shaker stall warning was found to be the probable cause of the accident. Additionally, the NTSB found that the crew was "likely fatigued" at the time of the accident after the captain spent the two of the three nights prior to the crash sleeping in the airline's crew lounge and the first officer was commuting from her home in Seattle the night prior. "Unfortunately, in the aviation industry, fatigue-related decisions by operators and pilots - such as minimum crew hires, flight crew schedules and commuting - are decisions that too often reflect the economics of the industry, rather than the data and science of fatigue and human performance," says NTSB. "It seems unlikely to me that this is the only circumstance and maybe this has become a practice and this has to stop," says Subcommttee Chairman Byron Dorgan (D-ND). NTSB chairman Deborah Hersman explains the board esimated during its investigation that 70% of Colgan's pilots commuted to the airline's Newark Liberty International Airport base, and 20% were commuting from a distance of 1600km (1000 miles) or more. "Until we know how widespread this is, we can't really fix the problem, and neither can the carriers" says Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC). "Just because the safety record is good, it doesn't mean the pilots are rested." Peggy Gilligan, FAA's associate administrator for aviation safety, acknowledges that the relationship between commuting and pilot fatigue is of great interest to regulators, but cautions that any potential rulemaking regarding pilot commuting must take into account pilot concerns about forced relocation that could cause personal and economic hardship. As part of its investigation, the NTSB recommended that the FAA require all scheduled and non-scheduled operators to "address fatigue risks associated with commuting, including identifying the number of pilots who commute, establishing policy and guidance to mitigate fatigue risks, using scheduling practices to minimize opportunities for fatigue, and develop or identifying rest facilities for commuting pilots. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Quick Links Products [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103140749490&s=6053&e=0015tlLmJUoqNTFS0IX6gOxa8Y0UGerwBbUTNp8cetVl208QNBQKvOSOvR2EyfvVuPADLVjrMtCdHJVw-QQ-mM_r2E177zhvC_ero-qaZv9aF2H7tXeAazlfZm3dwwnjo7a] Services [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103140749490&s=6053&e=0015tlLmJUoqNSoCGETJ3Xs_NnJfrT4lsJtNVGjInrS18R9fjfpE-XW6WU1pSGWloTEQO6mNicsob_Xrp4zLYmUnV_QhF2sv-UGSzwzx--BT8cgdc-eCEJSgA==] Contact us... 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