December 15, 2009 - Colgan: Pilot Errors Led to Plane Crash

The regional airline involved in a February crash near Buffalo, N.Y., that killed 49 people, says multiple pilot errors were to blame for the accident.

Colgan Air -- under fire from critics for its training policies -- says in a 67-page report submitted to the National Transportation Safety Board Monday the captain and first officer of Flight 3407 committed a laundry list of mistakes that ultimately led to the crash, CNN reported.

CNN said the carrier admits the flight's crew did not respond correctly to warnings the Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 turboprop was going into an aerodynamic stall nor did it finish checklists or follow "sterile cockpit" rules that ban unnecessary conversation.

"Loss of situational awareness and failure to follow Colgan Air training and procedures" were what caused the crash, the company reportedly said, adding that Capt. Marvin Renslow -- whom it was revealed after the crash had failed three pilot tests -- "was not truthful (about the tests) on his employment application."

CNN said that Colgan in the report rebutted critics who said low pay led crew members to live far from their home bases, contributing to fatigue, asserting that Renslow had 27 hours between flights.

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