Flight Safety Information December 4, 2013 - No. 248 In This Issue Scottish copter crash: No distress call beforehand Brakes fail on cargo jet as it lands at Jackson County Airport, quick maneuver avoids 'disaster' Learjet pilots may have been overwhelmed before fatal crash Pilot decries autopilot: 'We're a piece of luggage' Asiana Air Vows to Build 'Systematic' Safety Network After Crash Agreement on aviation safety signed in EU Think ARGUS PROS Common Jet Pilot Training Falters Brad Pitt buys WWII Spitfire airplane for $3.3 million: report Insurance News:...Alan & Thomas appoints aviation head prior to division relaunch NTSB kicks train union out of crash investigation Watch for: AVIATION MAINTENANCE & ENGINEERING EXCHANGE Scottish copter crash: No distress call beforehand The wreckage of a police helicopter is lifted from the collapsed roof of Clutha pub in Glasgow on Tuesday, December 2. Eight people have been killed and 14 seriously injured since a police aircraft crashed into a downtown pub. The wreckage of a police helicopter is lifted from the collapsed roof of Clutha pub in Glasgow on Tuesday, December 2. Eight people have been killed and 14 seriously injured since a police aircraft crashed into a downtown pub. STORY HIGHLIGHTS NEW: Spokeswoman says police don't expect to find any more bodies or remains Ninth body found at site of Friday-night crash, police say About 150 people were listening to a band in the Clutha Bar when the crash occurred (CNN) -- The police helicopter that crashed into a bustling Glasgow pub over the weekend did not issue a distress call before it came down, British air accident investigators said Monday as rescuers called off the search for more victims. The helicopter did not have a flight data recorder, said David Miller, deputy chief inspector of the Air Accident Investigation Branch. "However, it does have a significant number of modern electronic systems on board and it may be possible to recover recorded data from those systems," he said in a news conference. "There were no emergency transmissions from the pilot before this accident." The wreckage of the helicopter was lifted off the The Clutha Bar Monday. Authorities in Scotland found nine victims at the site. Deputy Chief Constable Rose Fitzpatrick said Monday night that police are satisfied that there are no further fatalities at the scene. Death toll rises in helicopter pub crash Witness: I started screaming Witness: It was a scene of devastation The Clutha was packed with about 150 people listening to a band Friday night when the crash occurred. Eleven of the 32 people hurt remained in hospitals across Glasgow on Sunday, and the body of another victim was found late Sunday morning, police said. The remains of the latest victim had not yet been identified. After Monday's operation, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service tweeted: "Helicopter has now been safely removed which will allow our specialist urban search and rescue crews to continue search of building." An ambulance, escorted by police, later left the scene. Firefighters, ambulance staff and police officers formed a guard of honor as the vehicles passed by. Fatalities in helicopter, pub Far more people could have been endangered if the helicopter had crashed and exploded just a short walk away in Glasgow's central shopping district, said Gordon Smart, editor of the Scottish Sun newspaper. From a nearby parking deck, Smart watched the helicopter tumble into the bar. He waited for an explosion and fireball, but there was an "eerie silence" instead, he said. A blast might have killed hundreds in the busy area, Smart said. "It's a miracle that more people didn't die," he said. http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/02/world/europe/scotland-helicopter-crash/ Back to Top Brakes fail on cargo jet as it lands at Jackson County Airport, quick maneuver avoids 'disaster' JACKSON, MI - A pilot flying a Falcon 20 cargo jet experienced a close call when the brakes failed during a landing at the Jackson County Airport about 8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 3. The pilot and co-pilot, the only two in the plane, were not injured and one quick decision avoided what could have been a disaster, said Jackson County Airport Manager Kent Maurer. The runway the pilot used to land does not meet FAA guidelines in terms of having the required feet of safety area at the end of the runway and the pilot, who was familiar with the airport, knew he was headed for a large hill on Airport Road. "They definetly knew they had to exit the runway or have a serious problem," Maurer said adding that they were traveling at a very fast speed. In order to prevent crashing into the hill the pilot needed to create friction. That's when he pulled a maneuver that turned the plane into a 180-degree loop, Maurer said. The plane was landing west to east coming over M-60 and Woodville Road. "He knew the hill was there so they veered to the right and entered the taxiway then went off and entered the sod creating ruts," Maurer said. "They hit three or four taxi lights and had so much momentum it carried the plane back on the taxiway from the direction in which they were landing," he said. The pilot was not available for comment. The runway, runway 6, currently has 200 feet of safety area at the end of the runway. FAA standards require at least 1,000 feet. Before landing, the pilot reported the failed brakes to the airport tower. Maurer said the pilot attempted to land in Jackson to pick up cargo before heading to Kansas City, MO. The runway has not met Federal Avaiation Administation standards since it was built in 1942. Maurer said this is a perfect example of why the runway extensions are needed. One runway was extended in 2008 and the runway the pilot used to land on is headed for an extension in 2016. Maurer is hoping construction on the new runway will start in 2016. He said the FAA acknowledged the runway did not meet standards for safety areas - which are required to give planes sufficient area to stop in case of an emergency but gave the airport an exemption to use it anyway. http://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/index.ssf/2013/12/brakes_failed_on_cargo_jet_as.html Back to Top Learjet pilots may have been overwhelmed before fatal crash The Learjet 35 that crashed after takeoff from Fort Lauderdale last month, killing all four onboard, had a good chance of returning safely to the airport if it had made an immediate U- turn, aviation experts say. Now, investigators are trying to figure out what was going on in the cockpit, why the plane kept flying away from the airport instead of heading back to it and why it was just 700 feet above the water when the last radio transmission was made. The Learjet should have been able to fly safely on just one of its two engines, and the crew reported that just one engine had failed. "According to Federal Aviation Administration specifications, that airplane must be able to climb on one engine to a safe altitude," said Alan Cohn, a seasoned corporate pilot, who has extensive experience in Learjets. Yet, even though the pilot of the ill-fated flight requested a 180-degree turn back to the runway, the plane instead made a slow turn to the north, paralleled the shoreline, quickly descended and flew "away from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport," according to a preliminary National Transportation Safety Board report released Tuesday. That indicates that both pilots were either too overwhelmed or distracted by the power loss - or some other cockpit crisis - to navigate back to the airport, Cohn said. The Lear crashed in the ocean about four miles northeast of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International shortly before 8 p.m. on Nov. 19. "I think what happened was someone forgot to fly the airplane," said Cohn, of Plantation, a former cargo and airline pilot. "Normally, one guy flies the plane while the other one handles the problem." Earlier that day, the Mexican registered Learjet had made an ambulance flight for AirEvac International, delivering a medical patient from San Jose, Costa Rica, to Fort Lauderdale. It was preparing to make a 90-minute flight back to its base in Cozumel, Mexico, when the accident occurred. The pilots were identified as Jose Hiram Galvan de la O, the captain, and Josue Buendia Moreno, the copilot. The passengers were Fernando Senties Nieto, a doctor, and Mariana Gonzalez Isunza, a nurse. All four were Mexican citizens. The bodies of Galvan de la O and Isunza have yet to be found, the U.S. Coast Guard said Tuesday. Brian Rayner, an NTSB accident investigator, said the ultimate culprit behind the crash remains unknown and that all angles will be scrutinized, from the plane's maintenance history to the pilots' experience levels. However, he indicated that the power loss and how the pilots responded to it likely will be the primary focus of the investigation. "Was this an emergency something they had been trained to respond to, or was it something that was completely out of the ordinary? We have no way of knowing right now," he said. Hampering the investigation, both of the jet's engines remain in 60 feet of water. Also, the plane's cockpit voice recorder, which might have captured the conversation between the two pilots, also is at the bottom of the ocean, Rayner said. If the recorder hasn't been damaged by sea water or the plane's impact, it might reveal which engine - or possibly if both - lost power, he said. From air traffic control data, this much is known: After taking off, the jet climbed to 2,200 feet at an airspeed of about 230 mph, which was normal. That's when one of the pilots reported an engine failure and requested vectors - or specific headings - back to the runway. About a minute later, the pilot reported, "mayday," and over the next three minutes repeatedly requested vectors back to the airport, Rayner said. Even though controllers provided those directions and told the crew to steer southwest, the plane flew north, slowed to 160 mph and descended to 900 feet over the ocean surface. At 700 feet, the plane finally made a left turn toward the shore and dropped off radar shortly after that. "Obviously, the captain felt he was dealing with something that required he return to the airport," Rayner said. "But precisely how he dealt with it, whether he followed the prescribed response, those are all unknowns." According to the preliminary report, both pilots were certified by the Mexican government to fly the Learjet 35. Galvan de la O, the captain, had a total of 10,091 hours of flight experience, including 1,400 in the Learjet 35. His medical certificate had expired on Aug. 22, but it's unknown whether that played a role, Rayner said. Moreno, the copilot, had a total of 1,235 hours, including 175 hours in the Learjet 35. The plane, manufactured in 1979, completed a maintenance inspection on Nov. 4, or about two weeks before the accident. Wreckage gathered from the ocean surface immediately after the accident, including the exterior of the fuselage, seat cushions and luggage, was taken to the U.S. Coast Guard Station at John U. Lloyd Park in Dania Beach. After inspecting it, safety board investigators said there were no signs that the plane suffered an in-flight fire or break-up prior to plowing into the ocean. A final ruling as to what caused the crash could take more than a year. For now, Rayner said he's more concerned about recovering more plane wreckage. "The evidence we really, really want is still on the bottom of the ocean," he said. "But I'm confident we're going to get what we need to support a probable cause." http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2013-12-03/news/fl-ntsb-learjet-report-20131203_1_the- learjet-35-two-pilots-fort-lauderdale-hollywood-international-airport Back to Top Pilot decries autopilot: 'We're a piece of luggage' The National Transportation Safety Board is poised to hold an investigative hearing on pilots' use of autopilot - a commonplace occurrence that now leave the drivers of craft feeling more like baggage than highly trained operators. "Once you see you're not needed, you tune out," said Michael Barr, a former Air Force pilot and accident investigator who now teaches flight safety at the University of Southern California, The Associated Press reported. "As long as everything goes okay, we're along for the ride. We're a piece of luggage." That's not necessarily a bad situation, however. But it can turn dangerous when the autopilot encounters troubles, calling for the pilot to step in - but the pilot has zoned out or worse, lost confidence in the ability to manually fly the craft. For instance, the NTSB's hearing on Dec. 10 to Dec. 11 will look at an Asiana Airlines jet crash that occurred last July at San Francisco International Airport. The pilot had been attempting to land the craft without autopilot assistance, when it hit a seawall near the runway. Investigators later said it had been flying too low. Three were killed, several injured, and the question to be determined at the hearing remains, AP reported: What was the level of "pilot awareness in [this] highly automated aircraft?" Just a few weeks later, a United Parcel Service cargo plane went down near Birmingham, Ala., killing both pilots aboard. The hearing will focus on "pilot awareness in a highly automated aircraft," the board said. NTSB officials want to specifically know why three experienced pilots allowed the plane to lose so much speed that the craft was about to stall, just seconds before it crashed, AP reported. Federal Aviation Administration officials fault failing pilot "mode awareness," and the overreliance on autopilot that has left those who are supposed to oversee the cockpit in a somewhat inattentive state, AP reported. Even on autopilot, pilots are supposed to continually track their flights, the FAA said. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/dec/2/pilot-decries-autopilot-were-piece- luggage/#ixzz2mVbHmu00 Back to Top Asiana Air Vows to Build 'Systematic' Safety Network After Crash Asiana Airlines Inc. (020560), the South Korean carrier that suffered a fatal jet crash in San Francisco in July, said it's seeking "fundamental improvement" of its safety systems in an overhaul following the accident. The company will achieve that by building a systematic safety management structure, Akiyoshi Yamamura, senior executive vice president of safety and security management, said today in Seoul. He didn't give a timeline or further specifics about the changes. "Our team is committed to making a thorough and detailed review of processes before implementing a more complete and perfect safety plan," Yamamura told reporters. "Great haste makes great waste." Asiana said in September that it would increase the number of hours of flight-simulation training for its pilots to approach airports without landing-guidance systems. The carrier's manual flying skills and cockpit teamwork are under investigation in the U.S. following the crash of Asiana Flight 214, which struck a seawall short of the San Francisco airport on July 6, killing three people. The airline also said it would hire another company to evaluate its procedures, add safety specialists and boost maintenance. South Korea's government is also reviewing plans to improve airline safety standards, including steeper penalties for accidents that involve casualties and better pilot training. Yamamura, 65, joined Asiana Dec. 1 to help revamp the airlines safety program. Before that, he worked for All Nippon Airways Co. as a pilot and safety officer. U.S. Hearing Asiana fell 0.8 percent to 4,920 won as of 11:35 a.m. in Seoul. The stock has fallen 21 percent this year, compared with a 0.3 percent decline in the benchmark Kospi index. Yamamura said today he will attend the National Transportation Safety Board's investigative hearing on the San Francisco accident next week in Washington. While flying airplanes on automated system has contributed significantly to safety of flights, the training program is important, Yamamura said. "If pilots are properly trained, there should be no problem for them to use autopilot to fly the airplanes safer," Yamamura said. "The design concept of automation is working very well to make flights much easier. Easier means safer." The probe's focus on manual flying skills follows the crash that took place after instruments proved insufficient. Co-pilot Lee Kang Kuk, who had only 43 hours of experience flying a Boeing Co. (BA) 777 model, was using a visual approach the day of the accident because the instrument landing system's glide slope, which helps line up the correct path to the runway, was closed for construction. Former Asiana pilots and trainers have said in interviews that the company's pilots were well trained on automatic systems and rarely flew manually. Stricter Penalties Since the accident, the South Korean government has been working to strengthen regulations on air safety standards. The government is considering imposing stricter penalties starting as early as next year. Airlines that have accidents that result in less than five casualties can be ordered to stop operating for 30 days under current rules. More often, the punishment is a 500 million won ($471,120) penalty. The government also plans to tighten regulations on pilot training and issuances of operating licenses to low-cost carriers, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. It will also consider setting rules to ban foreign airlines that are black-listed by the U.S., European Union and other industry groups from flying into the country. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-12-04/asiana-air-vows-to-build-systematic-safety- network-after-crash.html Back to Top Agreement on aviation safety signed in EU On 29 November 2013, the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER I) examined and approved the final compromise text negotiated in informal trilogues between the Lithuanian Presidency and the European Parliament on the Proposal for Occurrence Reporting Regulation, which aims to improve aviation safety by establishing common rules in the field of occurrence reporting in civil aviation, reports BC Lithuania's Transport Ministry. This Regulation seeks to ensure that in cases of collection of occurrence information safety actions are taken in a timely manner, and that relevant civil aviation safety information is reported, collected, stored, protected, exchanged, disseminated and analyzed. "It is very important, that aviation safety risks are considered and dealt with at European level. A high and uniform general level of safety should be ensured in civil aviation in the Union and all efforts should be made to reduce the number of accidents and incidents to ensure public confidence in aviation transport," said Minister of Transport of Lithuania Rimantas Sinkevicius. He thanked the negotiators of the TRAN Committee of the European Parliament for their constructiveness in reaching agreement on this dossier in a timely manner. This Regulation lays down provisions on reporting of occurrences or other safety related information which endanger or which, if not corrected or addressed, would endanger an aircraft, its occupants, any other person, equipment or installation affecting aircraft operations.The objective of occurrence reporting is the prevention of accidents and incidents and not to attribute blame or liability. This Regulation aims to assist Member States, European Safety Agency (EASA) and organisations in managing aviation safety risks. In the negotiations the Parliament accepted the Council compromise proposal on the delegations of power and an 18 month delayed entry into force for the whole Regulation. http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/transport/?doc=84591 Back to Top Back to Top Common Jet Pilot Training Falters Cross-European Efforts Stall Flying Together: Belgian and French Alpha Jets from Cazaux training base fly over the nearby coast. ROME, PARIS AND BONN - Following the breakdown of talks to set up a European jet pilot training program - which could have saved millions of euros - Europe's air forces are sticking with the NATO school in Texas, going it alone or forging bilateral deals. "Nations want to use their own bases, their own aircraft and their own standards," said one Italian source, who is knowledgeable of recent, aborted efforts to sign a continent-wide cooperation deal. "Bilaterals are simple; trying to please everyone is not simple," he added. Last year marked the end of efforts, for now, to create the so-called Advanced European Jet Pilot Training System (AEJPT), or Eurotraining program, which had been in the works for a decade. It envisioned a handful of European bases at which pilots would come together to train on a standard fleet of trainer jets. An obvious candidate for European defense spending rationalization as budgets sank, the program was taken on board by the EU's European Defence Agency in 2009. In an August 2012 statement, the agency said it had "finalized its pre-contract phase as per the coverage of a MOU agreed by the contributing Member States," with requirements based on a document signed by European chiefs of staff in 2006. Among the nations involved were Spain, France, Italy and Portugal. A request for information was also sent to industry, with Italy's Alenia Aermacchi and EADS replying with a joint proposal centered on Alenia's M-346 trainer jet. But at that point, jet training became another victim of Europe's inability to team in key areas After the August 2012 trainer announcement, an EDA spokesman said last week, "The EDA is not active on jet training," adding "the last meeting on the topic was in 2012, but no major project has kicked off so far." The Italian source said the deal had ground to a halt when no agreement was reached on basic principles, including basing. Differing Italian and French philosophies of training give an idea of how hard it would be to find common ground on the aircraft front. Speaking this summer at the Paris Air Show, French Air Chief Gen. Denis Mercier said he would like to see acquisition of an advanced turboprop plane to replace the aging Alpha Jet. A new generation turboprop such as the Pilatus PC-21 or Hawk T2 is seen as essential for delivering an affordable plane but with a high-tech cockpit that readies the pilot for flying the Rafale. That puts France at odds with the Italian focus on the M-346 jet for advanced training, as well as the under-development Alenia Aermacchi M-345 - also a jet - for Phase II training. And as air forces find themselves with fewer pilots to train thanks to cuts, they are looking around to bring in trainees from other nations through bilateral deals, with France and Italy possible competitors in the search for recruits. Kuwaiti and Singaporean students are enrolled at the Italian Air Force's Lecce training base, which next year will start testing the M-346. The base is actively seeking more air forces interested in training there. Speaking at a Rome conference on jet training on Nov. 28 established to promote Italy's training infrastructure, Italian Air Force chief Gen. Pasquale Preziosa described a "new paradigm" of nation-to-nation deals to train pilots that extends beyond Europe. Nor did he exclude nations brokering multination deals. "The market will guide us," he said. Asked about the French idea of moving straight from prop aircraft to fighters, he warned that unlike jets, props could not offer high-altitude training. France runs the only European bilateral arrangement at its Cazaux base, which trains French and Belgian pilots and weapon systems operators at its advanced jet training school, said French Air Force Lt. Col. Jérome Armand. This is the last training before the pilot and weapons officer take off in front-line fighter aircraft. As of this summer, Cazaux is delivering basic and advanced training for some 30 French and 10 to 12 Belgian pilots, and a further 10 or so French weapons officers. The base flies Alpha Jets, with light avionics in the cockpit, with a Belgian and a French- Belgian squadron. The former offers training for NATO and other European countries; the latter is available for other friendly countries such as Singapore, which sent four officers for weapon systems officer training. The French officers go on to fly the Mirage 2000 and Rafale fighters, while the Belgians go up in the F-16. The aircraft and national cultures may be different, but the NATO rules of engagement are the same for everyone, Armand said, who is based at the advanced training course office at Dijon air base in eastern France. Armand admitted that getting Europeans to train together in Europe was "a real problem." "Each country has its own system and is looking for a new training system," said Armand. "The European forces have looked at a common training system but it is not easy to gather everybody together," he said. Besides the different aircraft types, each country has its own culture and specific details, something seen right from the basic course, Armand said. One solution could be a flexible European school with specific modular courses for each country, he said Arguably, a joint European school already exists, albeit under NATO, not European auspices, at Sheppard Air Base in Texas. For more than 20 years, future German fighter jet pilots have received their 55-week-long flight training at Sheppard, part of the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program launched in 1981, which today hosts 13 nations. Germany, which also provides instructor pilots, has used the two-seat T-6 Texan II turboprop plane for its basic training at Sheppard since 2003. Pilots then move on to the aging T-38C Talon trainer jet for advanced training. Back in Europe, one expert said that Germany and France have long shown the way forward for joint training, albeit in helicopters, not jets. In 2005, the first Tiger attack helicopters, which are flown by both nations, arrived at Le Luc base in the south of France for joint pilot training. Under the deal, basic training for French and German technical and logistical staff is carried out at the German Air Force Technical School 3 in Fassberg in northern Germany. "Today's multinational missions require training as early as possible with potential future partners," said retired Gen. Klaus Olshausen, a military expert at the Berlin Institute for Strategic Policy and Safety Advisory. "That way, the soldiers can experience, understand and learn to respect the different military cultures and strategies of each other's nation," he said. "Therefore, the training program for the Tiger helicopter in Le Luc and Fassberg is certainly a role model for other possible European projects," Olshausen said. http://www.defensenews.com/article/20131203/DEFREG01/312030021/Common-Jet-Pilot- Training-Falters Back to Top Brad Pitt buys WWII Spitfire airplane for $3.3 million: report The actor was inspired to purchase the plane once used by the Royal Air Force after working on his recent war movie 'Fury.' Actor Brad Pitt allegedly purchased a Spitfire plane for a whopping $3.3 million. What's that in the sky? It may just be Brad Pitt after the leading man reportedly bagged himself a World War II-era Spitfire plane. The 49-year-old actor was so inspired by his latest movie, World War II flick "Fury," that he purchased one of the fighter planes used by the Royal Air Force in battle, the Irish Examiner reported. And they don't come cheap: Pitt supposedly paid $3.3 million for the aircraft. Spitfire planes were used in World War II. Pitt was inspired to purchase one after starring in the war flick 'Fury.' Spitfire planes were used in World War II. Pitt was inspired to purchase one after starring in the war flick 'Fury.' "Brad, who has done everything from sleep in trenches to learn to drive a tank for the film, has now invested in one of the iconic machines," a source told The Sun. The star will allegedly take flying lessons in Oxford at the Boultbee Flying Academy http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/brad-pitt-buys-wwii-spitfire-airplane-4- million-report-article-1.1536432#ixzz2mVeaeUKV Back to Top Insurance News: Alan & Thomas appoints aviation head prior to division relaunch New aviation recruit is also trained pilot. Alan & Thomas Insurance Group (A&T) has appointed Peter Matcham as head of aviation insurance, with effect from 1 December 2013. In his new role, Matcham will be based at the Dorset-based firm's head office in Poole and will undertake a review of the aviation business, with a view to relaunching the division. Matcham has spent 18 years in the insurance broking market, seven of those with A&T. He is also a trained pilot. Julian Boughton, A&T CEO, said: "Peter has been an important part of the development team at A&T for some years now and has demonstrated many of the skills and competencies required for the aviation role. "These skills, combined with Peter's knowledge of the aviation industry, made him the stand out candidate for the position. I am delighted that we could continue with our desire of promoting within A&T to this role." Boughton added: "Without wishing to get too carried away, the sky really is the limit for this part of our business and I am looking forward to working with Peter to make sure our aspirations fly." And Matcham commented: "Aviation is a long-standing passion of mine after having first learnt to fly at the age of fifteen. "I have always kept up-to-date with developments in the sector and appreciate the challenges facing pilots, aircraft owners and businesses in today's market. I am looking forward to developing the division with insurers and other strategic partners." http://www.insuranceage.co.uk/insurance-age/news/2316606/alan-thomas-appoints- aviation-head-ahead-of-division-relaunch Back to Top NTSB kicks train union out of crash investigation (CNN) -- The NTSB said it has booted the rail union from its investigation into the weekend's deadly train derailment for violating confidentiality rules. The agency made the announcement late Tuesday night, hours after a union representative told CNN that the train engineer apparently "was nodding off and caught himself too late" before the accident. The train derailment Sunday killed four people and injured 67 others in New York. In its announcement, the NTSB specifically cited those comments as the violation. Anthony Bottalico, the union representative, told CNN that engineer William Rockefeller Jr. recognizes his responsibility in the incident. "I think most people are leaning towards human error," Bottalico said. Photos: Bronx train derailment Photos: Bronx train derailment Train crash investigation focuses on engineer Was sleep a factor in train derailment? Rockefeller's lawyer, Jeffrey Chartier, characterized what happened as "highway hypnosis." He said his client had had a full night's sleep before the crash, and had no disciplinary record. In a brief conversation with investigators, Rockefeller said that moments before the derailment of the Hudson Line train in the Bronx he was "going along and I'm in a daze. I don't know what happened," according to a law enforcement official familiar with that conversation. Rockefeller spoke to Metropolitan Transportation Authority and New York Police detectives at the crash site before he was taken to the hospital Sunday. According to NTSB representatives, results from alcohol breath tests for the train engineer were negative, and the brake and signal systems in the deadly Metro-North accident appeared to be working. Other toxicology results have not yet come back. Fatigue is a factor being investigated, according to a separate New York law enforcement source. But Rockefeller also told investigators on site that the brakes had failed, as CNN reported previously. Officials noted the train had been able to stop nine times at stations ahead of the crash. The train was equipped with a "dead man's pedal," designed to stop the train if the engineer becomes incapacitated, said National Transportation Safety Board member Earl Weener. But it was unclear whether that emergency system was activated. Expert: "Twilight" common among train crews Steven Harrod, a University of Dayton professor and expert on railway operations, said the early hour of the derailment, along with the decreased rail traffic on the post-Thanksgiving weekend, also could have played a role in Rockefeller's "daze." Harrod called it a "twilight" of inattention or distraction common in transport crews on late- night and early-morning shifts. "If he was dead, dead asleep, his hands would have come off the controls and ... some of the 'dead man' stuff would have come into play," said Harrod, referring to "dead man" mechanisms that automatically stop trains when the engineer is incapacitated. "But if it was kind of that twilight where you're just there and still kind of gently holding onto to things but not quite really aware, which in my mind is still sleeping. That's still sleeping." In the culture of railroad workers, Harrod said, admitting to falling asleep at the controls is almost as bad as admitting to being drunk or on drugs. "It's very realistic that he, in fact, really did fall asleep," he said. "Falling asleep at the controls of a locomotive is a horrible evil. You're not supposed to do that. He really doesn't want to come out and say, 'I fell asleep.' It's emotionally embarrassing. It's not just a rules violation. There's a psychological component. If you come out and say, 'I fell asleep,' it's just purely beyond embarrassing. It's a violation of the sacred understanding of what a train crew should do." Survivor: "It was absolutely horrific" Rockefeller is not working or getting paid, according to Meredith Daniels, MTA spokeswoman. Union: Engineer nodded off before crash "He is out of service. This is an unpaid status," said Daniels, adding that Rockefeller is presumed innocent until disciplinary procedures are completed. NTSB officials would not comment on Rockefeller's reported comments, but they have said fatigue is routinely investigated as a possible cause in such cases. Harrod said the rail and signal hardware date to World War II and, if Rockefeller was dazed or momentarily distracted, there was no system in place to alert him that he was traveling at 82 mph. "It's a perfect-storm kind of thing," he said. "You can look back in the history books of railroad accidents and there are plenty more where this came from. Events and things that happen that in and of themselves are not supposed to be bad but they turn into bad things." Engineer cooperating with authorities The train was about 10 miles short of its destination, Manhattan's Grand Central Terminal, when it derailed on the approach to the Spuyten Duyvil station in the Bronx. The NTSB's interview Monday with Rockefeller was cut short because of his emotional state, Weener told CNN. The interview resumed Tuesday and was expected to continue Wednesday. "I think it was basically emotional issues with the engineer," Weener said. The crash, which took four lives, was "a very traumatic experience for him." Weener said Rockefeller was cooperative but was "not up to it." NTSB officials said it is not unusual for those who have survived fatal accidents to be emotional during interviews. Nor is it unusual for the board to allow participants additional time to complete the interview. Botallico said Rockefeller is cooperating. "Billy is fully cooperating with the NTSB," Botallico said. "He needed to get some rest. He's very traumatized by the loss of life. It's best that it comes from him what happened. He's a quality human being. I know him personally. I've been a conductor and representative, and I'd be proud to have him as my engineer." Rockefeller started out as a janitor at Grand Central and "worked his way up," Botallico said. "He's been in operations for quite a while," he said. "He used to change the time of the trains in Grand Central. He was volunteer fireman. He's just a guy who's always gone out of his way for everyone else. It brings me to tears because the loss of life is something that -- it's the hardest thing to deal with. When you lose life it's difficult for all." Said Harrod: "This engineer, I'm sure, as the evidence comes out, I think we're really looking at a sad, really basic kind of inattentiveness. Nothing fancy: No alcohol, no drugs, maybe not even a cell phone. Just plain vanilla inattentiveness." Michael McClendon, who supervised engineer Rockefeller for several years, spoke to CNN affiliate WCBS. " I wish this didn't happen to anyone, but I sure as hell don't want it to happen to him," he said. http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/04/us/new-york-train-crash/ Back to Top AVIATION MAINTENANCE & ENGINEERING EXCHANGE Published weekly on Wednesday. Curt Lewis