Thu, Nov 23, 2006
Says US Pilots Should Be Treated Fairly
Editor's Note:
The following is
the unedited text of a letter from Aircraft Owners and Pilots
Association President Phil Boyer to Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice.
There is increasing pressure on the Brazilian government to
reconsider its refusal to allow the return to the US of two US
pilots involved in a September mid-air collision suspected of
causing the crash of a GOL airlines 737.
Media reports in the Brazilian press call into question the
integrity of almost all of the major Brazilian players in this
investigation. The reported political infighting among the
country's various agencies would seem to make an unbiased
investigation almost impossible.
In light of the events, more and more agencies and
influential political figures in the US are joining in asking
why two pilots are being forced to remain in the country against
their will when all the evidence to this point seems to show no
wrongdoing on their part.
Public statements by the judges who confiscated the US
pilots' passports indicate the pair might face criminal prosecution
pending results of the investigation.
Dear Secretary
Rice:
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) representing
410,000 US pilots, requests your intervention in securing the
release of two American pilots currently being detained by
Brazilian authorities investigating the crash of Gol Airlines
Flight #1907.
These US citizens are pilots for Excelair and were involved in the
September 29, 2006 mid-air collision between a GOL Airlines Boeing
737 and an Embraer Legacy business jet. To date, the pilots
have been detained for more than seven weeks without criminal
charges or explanation, which is in violation of international
aviation treaties. It appears from media reports that the
accident investigation could take another ten months to complete,
placing these US pilots in jeopardy of being detained
indefinitely.
AOPA is not taking a position on the accident or the investigative
process; however, it is critical that due process be
followed. These US citizen pilots should be treated fairly
under the law, and the US State Department must take action to
obtain their release and their return to the US.
AOPA urges you to intervene with the Brazilian government to
facilitate the release of these Americans to allow them to return
home safely.
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