Says Colgan Pilots Were Not Comfortable With The Airplane

An FAA inspector says he warned the administration more than a year before a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 flown by Colgan Air crashed in Buffalo that the airline was having difficulty flying the airplane. Christopher J. Monteleon was in the cockpit when the airline got its first Q400, and said they exceeded speed restrictions for the aircraft three times, but did not have it inspected for damage.  He also charged they flew with a broken radio, which went unreported, and "botched" three approaches to the airport in Charleston, West Virginia. Recalling the flight tests in January, 2008, Monteleon said “They got confused”.

The New York Times reports Monteleon was relieved of his position as an inspector overseeing Colgan Air for his trouble, and was reassigned to a desk job. The FAA told the Times he was not being disciplined, but would not comment further on a "personnel matter".

His concerns, which Monteleon repeated to a federal agency created to hear complaints from whistle-blowers, preceded by 13 months the Buffalo Crash which killed all 49 people on the airplane and one on the ground.

For its part, the FAA told the Times it took Mr. Monteleon's complaints seriously at the time. 

Laura J. Brown, a spokeswoman for the F.A.A., said the agency called in a team made up of inspectors from around the country, who could impartially review the issue.  She said They recommended some changes in F.A.A. procedures, which were carried out, but did not find any “major regulatory issues.”

Joe F. Williams, a spokesman for Colgan, said, “Mr. Monteleon’s claims against us are baseless. Colgan met or exceeded every single F.A.A. requirement necessary to add the Q400 to its fleet prior to beginning operations.”

New York Senator Charles Schumer (D) released a statement Wednesday regarding the crash. "This seems to be a classic whistle blower case where a dedicated public servant’s actions might have saved 50 lives.  There must be an immediate investigation to see if his allegations were true, and if they are, there must be immediate action on the part of the FAA to reform their procedures. The family members who experienced the tragic loss of their loved ones deserve more than answers – they deserve action."

FMI: http://www2.bombardier.com/q400/en/home.jsp