Safety Failure In Madrid Crash Also Found In U.S.

(Undated) -- The pilot error that led to a fatal plane crash last summer in Madrid, Spain is also being repeated in the U.S. That's the conclusion of government data analyzed by "USA Today." The probe found that failure to perform the routine but critical task of setting the wing flaps and slats before flight has happened dozens of times in the U.S. since 2000. Failure to perform the function led to the crash last August in Spain that killed 154 people.
Since 2000, pilots in the U.S. have reported a failure to properly set the wing flaps for takeoff 55 times, according to reports filed with a NASA aviation safety database. The flaps and slats expand the size of the wing, giving a plane more lift. Without the proper flap setting, aircraft face severe danger when trying to take off. Bill Voss, president of the non-profit Flight Safety Foundation calls it a disturbing trend and says, quote, "human errors are being made that take away layers of safety." Although the instances are few compared with the more than ten million airline flights every year, Voss says the potential for fatal crashes means airlines and regulators need to pay closer attention.