Three Died Three+ Years Ago

The DC-8 was not controllable, the NTSB has reported. The AP reports that the Emery DC-8 had a bolt missing from the elevator tab on the right side; the controls jammed, and the three souls aboard perished as the freighter slammed through a scrap yard, ending in a fiery mass.

According to Jonathan Salant at the AP, the NTSB "...said they were unable to learn when the bolt came loose or the assembly separated, but that such an incident would not have occurred had the plane been properly maintained and inspected."

The crash, on February 16, 2000, near Rancho Cordova (CA) set off all kinds of speculation, most of it centered around the DC-8's preference for exact adherence to CG loading criteria. Finding the real cause has no doubt lifted a load from the loaders (and placed it on mechanics and inspectors, and possibly hardware suppliers... and maybe even Boeing).

Since the crash, Boeing, for its part, has revised the maintenance manual and POH (Pilot's Operating Handbook) for that machine. Emery finally grounded its entire fleet last Fall, the result of a barrage of maintenance squawks from the FAA. Expect an inspection AD shortly on all DC-8s.

What ALPA Says:

This investigation revealed significant safety issues in cargo airline operations, loading and maintenance practices, and FAA oversight. While ALPA appreciates the effort that the NTSB has devoted to this investigation, and we are pleased with the recommendations that the Board did make, we are disappointed that these recommendations did not go far enough in addressing deficiencies in corporate safety culture and FAA oversight. Absent a comprehensive set of NTSB recommendations to correct cargo airline safety deficiencies, we are concerned that the overall level of safety will not be improved. ALPA will nevertheless continue to work with our government and industry partners to see that these issues are addressed.

Since 1984, the NTSB has conducted at least 38 accident investigations involving cargo operators. Although these investigations have resulted in numerous recommendations to the FAA and to cargo operators, success in rectifying the safety deficiencies of the cargo airline industry has been limited. A recent UK Civil Aviation Authority study of worldwide fatal accidents concluded "cargo operations have a fatal accident risk at least four times that for passenger flights." Although ALPA included cargo operations in our "One Level of Safety" campaign of the mid-1990's, industry and government have been very slow in adopting this comprehensive philosophy. In order to increase the focus on cargo airline safety, ALPA has formed the President's Committee for Cargo to more clearly define the issues, and to highlight our concerns to the industry. We are encouraged by previous NTSB discussions about conducting a cargo airline safety forum to identify additional issues, and look forward to participating in this proactive approach.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001212X20472&key=1; www.alpa.org