Worrisome Safety Pattern w/ Regionals

Four regional accidents were cited in a speech by National Transportation Safety Board Vice Chairman Robert Sumwalt, who indicated there might be a worrisome pattern that regional pilots may not be keeping their eye on the ball. Speaking before the Air Line Pilots Association International’s (ALPA) Annual Air Safety & Security Forum earlier this month, Sumwalt stressed the importance of adhering to standard operating procedures. He talked about FAA Line Operation Safety Audit findings, which indicated that a crew that does not follow SOPS is three times as likely to make mistakes.
Sumwalt strongly believes in ‘safety culture’ and he has been critical of organizations that fail to establish such a culture. “Just as it is incumbent on senior airline management to establish and maintain a safety culture,” said Sumwalt, “it’s also up to people on the front lines to carry out their responsibilities with precision and professionalism.” He cited four fatal regional accidents in as many years where pilots violated the sterile cockpit rule including last year's Comair accident and the Pinnacle accident. While the Safety Board has not yet determined the probable cause for one of these, the other three reveal “disturbing evidence of behavior that is unbecoming of the airline piloting profession,” he noted. For a complete report see the next issue of Regional Aviation News.