Says ExcelAire Pilots Should Be 'Innocent Until Proven Guilty'

US pilots spoke out Wednesday about Brazil's handling of that nation's deadliest aviation accident. The Allied Pilots Association (APA), representing 13,000 American Airlines pilots, urged a full, fair and timely investigation of the crash of Gol Airlines flight 1907.

In a statement, APA expressed confidence that Brazil would observe the precept of innocent until proven guilty. Then, in what might be considered a veiled threat, APA also promised that while it awaits the results of the investigation, APA's pilots will continue to fly American Airlines flights to Brazil.

Flight Safety Foundation President and CEO Bill Voss also spoke out. He said he's concerned with the increasing "criminalization" of aircraft accident investigations.

In a statement Voss called on the Brazilian government to stay stron in the face of immense public pressure and continue to respect the integrity of the investigation, adding, "We join all of Brazil in mourning this terrible loss oflife, but strongly urge that the [Brazilian investigators] be allowed to do [their] jobs without interference so that accidents like this can be avoided in the future."

Amid the growing controversy surrounding Brazil's decision to detain two US pilots, Voss says politics might be interfering with the investigation.

The pilots were flying an Embraer Legacy 600 which authorities believe collided with a Gol Airlines 737. The two were able to get the Embraer safely to the ground, but the 737 crashed in the Amazon jungle killing all 154 aboard.

Brazilian authorities claim the two were flying at the wrong altitude and may have turned off their transponder.

Voss fears investigators , bowing to political pressure, might focus on laying blame instead of finding the cause of the tragedy. He's urging all those involved to depoliticize the situation and allow the technical people to do their jobs.

Meanwhile, US Representative Peter King is asking Brazil to allow those two pilots to come home.

FMI: www.flightsafety.org, www.apa.org