no doubt there will be an investigation which will find it to be an air traffic control mistake. Note that Germany has a privatised air traffic control system, and no corporate manslaughter laws. Convenient huh? No doubt someone will sue for compensation instead.
Registered: Jan 2001
Location: anywhere but here
Posts: 4420
reports thus far are claiming it was pilot error, apprently the Russian pilot ignored air traffic controllers calls to drop altitude, the english pilot apparently did everything he could to avoid the crash as he was on the correct course. could this have been a case of chicken at 36,000ft? are people that irresponsible?
there is also an irony that he kids on the russian plane were children of the russian elite and had missed there earlier plane, the plane they were killed on was laid on especially because of who they were.
Registered: Aug 2001
Location: Hilbert Space
Posts: 35669
It does appear to have been pilot error, but, of course, that is often the initial line (what with the pilot being dead). It does seem plausible in this case, as both were fitted with the collision detection device.
quote:Originally posted by Smug Git as both were fitted with the collision detection device.
Would that really help at all?
I mean 700+ MPH at 36,000 feet.....
I'd think that most pilots would look at those devices like I do the idiot lights in cars. By the time the klaxon went off, it's probably too late.
But what do I know. I'm not a REAL pilot.
The biggest wingspan in my hanger is 6 feet.
Registered: Aug 2001
Location: Hilbert Space
Posts: 35669
According to the people interviewd today, the freight pilot certainly did respond to it (by losing height) and said that pilots do obey it as a rule, which is why the implication that the other pilot was in error is more believable.
It still blows my mind.
Mid-air collisions are just so rare.....
I mean, it happens when the military is flying in close formation, It happens on approach to land, but it rarely ever happens when at altitude.
36,000 feet, and airspace all around them.
and they somehow dove into each other.
such a shame....
The story has changed, the Swiss said the Russian pilot ignored up to three warnings and that the when the DHL plane was told to drop altitude that the Russian pilot finally reacted and did the same, putting both planes back on the same course.
The Germans have since said that the Russian pilot had less than 50 seconds to react and responded 25 seconds after being notified. (story)
Seems like it'll be awhile before they sort it out. They have recovered both sets of data/voice recorders though.
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07-02-2002 01:27 PM
