NTSB's Robert Benzon Notes Improving Trend In Airliner Safety

In the media blitz surrounding the five-person flight crew onboard US Airways Flight 1549, somewhat overlooked in the frenzy is the team of National Transportation Safety Board investigators tasked with determining why the Airbus A320 lost power in both engines and ditched in the Hudson River on January 15.

Robert Benzon, the NTSB investigator-in-charge for the Flight 1549 incident, met with the Associated Press Monday... and shared some of the reasons why he has been an investigator with the Board for 25 years. Benzon also revealed that he almost left the Board during his first investigation.

"I almost quit," said Benzon, recalling the November 1987 takeoff crash of Continental Flight 1713 at Denver's Stapleton Airport. He was tasked with interviewing the 54 survivors... including those who lost loved ones in the downing of the Douglas DC-9.

Among the 28 victims was Tami Daniel, who died as she and her husband waited to be rescued. "We had to talk to that husband," Benson said Monday, his voice very quiet.

Since that time, the former US Air Force pilot has led approximately 35 US investigations, including the November 2001 downing of American Airlines Flight 587 in Queens. He has also represented the NTSB on about the same number of investigations overseas, including the bombing of Pan Am 103 in December 1988.

"It was a little tough to get used to, as you might imagine, but I hung in there and it turns out to be the greatest job in the world," Benzon said.

While responding to the scene of a fatal aircraft accident is never easy, Benzon takes solace knowing better safety procedures and training often result from those investigations.

"There are good pilots and bad pilots. Sometimes accidents happen because a pilot isn't as good as his peers. It's a fact of life," Benzon said. "The machines aren't perfect but they're getting there. Now our goal is to make sure that the people are trained to the best of (their) ability."

Benzon noted there hasn't been a fatal US commercial airline accident since 2006. "That impresses the heck out of me," he said. "And that's our goal -- to put ourselves out of business."

While no probable cause has been determined in the downing of Flight 1549, so far the evidence points to multiple bird strikes resulting in the loss of engine power. As ANN reported, Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger glided the stricken airliner to a perfect ditching in the Hudson River, resulting in some injuries but no fatalities among the 155 people onboard.

Benzon said he was impressed with Sullenberger's professionalism. "I tell you that gentleman was cool, calm and collected," Benzon said. "That's certainly what we like to see in anybody that's flying an airplane.

"A major aircraft loss under very unusual circumstances and very few serious injuries and absolutely no loss of life," he continued. "That rarely occurs but it's actually occurring more and more."

FMI: www.ntsb.gov, www.usairways.com