On Crash Anniversary, Airline Resumes Own Maintenance
Air Midwest, the commuter airline whose plane crashed on takeoff
in Charlotte 13 months ago, killing all 21 aboard, will stop
outsourcing routine maintenance on its aircraft. NTSB investigators
believe mechanics in Huntington (WV), working under contract for
Air Midwest made mistakes that contributed to the deadly crash.
Under federal regulations, Air Midwest was responsible for the
outsourced maintenance on US Airways Express Flight 5481, which
crashed on Jan. 8, 2003. The NTSB will present its conclusions on
Thursday in Washington about what caused the crash. The board will
likely focus on maintenance and the plane's weight and balance.