I think we'll just have to see what the NTSB says after they analyze the FDR along with the CVR. Either way my point is they realized there were no lights sometime while moving down the runway. The didn't realize their mistake until later, (probably at "whoa" after V1/VR). That's if they realized their specific mistake of taking the wrong runway at all. I'm just getting super sick of people monday morning quarterbacking these pilots. Yes of course they were responsible for the safety of the aircraft, but sometimes responsible people screw up. To me, that's no reason to start berating them, and declaring they were grossly negligent. Analyze the mistakes, try to come up with ways that the accident could've been avoided, and implement procedures that could've helped that day so we don't repeat previous mistakes. That's of course what CVR's and FDR's are for. We're setting a dangerous prescedent if we start to use them for legal action against the pilots, whether it be for violations for the pilots or for civil action on behalf of injured passengers or in this case, relatives of dead passengers.

 

You have to look at an accident in terms of "How easily could this have happened to me?"

Pinnacle Accident: This could not have happened to me.
COMAIR Accident: Yes, this one could have happened to me. (not anymore though, I check RWY HDG and the big white numbers now)

Your own answers may vary based on your personal standards of judgement and professionalism.


Regarding the runway lights, airline pilots brief a set of specific circumstanes/emergencies which will result in an abort prior to V1. This includes engine failure and usually certain warning/caution messages. I have never heard anyone brief "We will abort the takeoff prior to V1 if we realize the runway lights are not on." The big screwup here occured prior to throttles when the CA taxied onto the wrong runway, and both pilots failed to check their headings. This may not have been a required check at comair. Also, they might have glanced at the HI as they lined up and seen the bug close to 0 degrees relative due to the proximity of two runway headings.

 

..........

 

Care to put your money where your big mouth is?? Why don't you write a letter to the editor of the local newspaper(s) in Lexington telling them exactly what you have said here - and then sign it with your name?

 

wow,, you miss the entire point. nobody wanted this to happen. some mistakes are bigger than others but in the end they are all mistakes.

 

I told you guys i would rather be lucky than good any day.

 

This has nothing to do with "being perfect". A $hitload of people died! Someone must be accountable. Two peops were at the controls; only one made it. He is responsible...period.

 

responsible..........yes, taken to court and sued......................******** no

 

Yes the pilots are responsible for the safety of the aircraft, nobody here is saying otherwise. I'm saying, it could've been any one of us. This is a mistake, plain and simple. I believe that you have to go a lot farther to find negligence in this particular accident. These pilots were not "cowboys" living by their own rules. They were operating their aircraft in a safe and responsible manner. They made no choices that significantly increased the likelihood of a crash. They didn't ignore checklists, they didn't fly into terrible weather, they didn't show up drunk. If they had done any of those things, or similar things, then I would buy into the negligence. They made a tragic mistake of turning onto the wrong runway. Nobody in the flight deck (I believe there were 3 of them) noticed. So three fully trained airline pilots, all with significant experience, made a terrible mistake. They, however, were not negligent, which is something I believe SHOULD be necessary for a successful lawsuit against the pilots. Unfortunately in our country, I'm afraid that won't be necessary.

 

Negligence and Gross Negligence are legal terms, but their practical definitions are determined by society as a whole, ie 12 of your "peers".

Realistically, pilots (like surgeons and cops) spend their working lives one or two momentary lapses away from gross negligence (or criminal negligence in some countries). It's easy to forget sometimes, but ignoring or forgetting that reality paves the road to incidents and catastrophes.