Personal Injury Lawyers > Personal Injury Blog > Aviation Accidents > NTSB Releases Report into Denver Airport, Continental Airlines Crash

Personal Injury Blog

NTSB Releases Report into Denver Airport, Continental Airlines Crash

The National Transportation Safety Board this week released its report on its investigation into the plane crash at the Denver International Airport in December 2008.  As California plane crash attorneys would expect, the report focuses on errors made by air traffic controllers and the pilot, as being the two main factors responsible for the crash.

On December 20, 2008, Continental Airlines flight 1404, carrying 110 passengers on board, crashed during takeoff from Denver International Airport. The plane veered off the runway and over a frozen field, before crashing and bursting into flames.  Fortunately, none of the passengers on the plane were fatally injured.  However, at least two passengers suffered critical injuries, and six passengers suffered moderate injuries.  It was one of the most serious plane crashes in the history of Denver International Airport.

The National Transportation Safety Board has now released its report into the investigation.  According to the report, this was a crash that could have been easily prevented.  Weather conditions including strong winds, seemed to play a major part in this crash.  The wind caused the aircraft to “weathervane,” and the pilot had 4 seconds in which he could have prevented the crash.  However, the report also makes some mention of the fact that air traffic controllers failed to give the pilot and copilot the information they needed in order to make important takeoff decisions.  For instance, the air traffic controllers informed the crew that there was a crosswind of 31 mph, but didn’t mention gusts.  If the air traffic controller had mentioned to the pilots that gusts of as much as 46 mph had been recorded by one of the two sensors close to the runway, it’s very likely that the pilots would have reconsidered their decision to take off.  Continental Airlines recommends that pilots of Boeing 737 don’t takeoff in crosswinds that exceed 30 mph.

According to the report, it also did not help that the simulator flight training that Continental Airlines provides for its pilots, does not include training in gusty winds.  Training does include steady high crosswinds, but pilots are not trained to fly in dusty wind conditions.  The National Transportation Safety Board has offered some recommendations for the Federal Aviation Administration.  The board is recommending that the Federal Aviation Administration conduct wind hazard research, not only at Denver International Airport, but also at other airports around the country, and make this information available to both pilots and air traffic controllers.  The board also recommended that the Federal Aviation Administration make it necessary for airlines to incorporate training in wind gusts in pilot training programs.  Such training will equip pilots with the skills they need to fly in unfavorable weather conditions.

The board’s recommendations include increasing the safety and integrity of pilots and flight attendants seats.  One of the crew member’s seats had been found to be severely damaged during the crash.  The board has recommended that these seats also meet the same rigorous safety standards as seats in the passenger cabins.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of plane accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.

The Reeves Law Group is not representing any party in the matters discussed in this posting.

---

One response to “NTSB Releases Report into Denver Airport, Continental Airlines Crash”

1. Edmund the Bull Terrier Advocate writes:
   

   This is probably one of the better articles I have stumbled across on this subject. I would like to know if you have you looked into the other side of the topic of dog training? To be candid, I think a solid argument could be made either way, but let me know if you have found more sources on the Internet that back up what you are saying.

   @ October 22nd, 2010 at 22:02