Aero-News: Quote of the Day

ANN's Quote of the Day usually derives from current news, though we reserve the right to pick quotes out of history that have a bearing on the day's events and issues.

Sometimes, you'll find them timely and in keeping with the content of the day's news... and sometimes, they'll just be thought-provoking.

Reader suggestions and comments are welcome... and if particularly intriguing, timely, or poignant, may themselves become future Quotes of the Day.

Let us hear from you, folks!

Aero-News Quote of the Day

"Here again we see the tragedy that can result when time-tested procedures are not respected. The accident also points up the severe consequences that can follow when the operator of an aircraft, or any other vehicle, becomes distracted."

Source: NTSB Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker, on the Board's finding that poor flight planning led to the fuel starvation that brought down an Air Tahoma Convair 580 on August 13, 2004. According to the NTSB, Pilot Bruno Pichelli initiated a crossfeed fuel transfer procedure inflight, then turned his attention to computing weight and balance figures that should have been performed before takeoff. While distracted, Pichelli failed to notice that the left fuel tank was running dry.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov