Media focus and public outcry have focused on possible pilot error or maintanance defect in the aircraft. No one seems to be asking the air traffic controllers why they assigned SW 1248 to land with an 8 knot tailwind. Properly directed landing into the wind should have resulted in a 20 mph lower ground speed, and likely safe stop even with the long approach and poor braking response.
With the billions of dollars that have been spent on airline safety, one would think that
some controller would have thought about looking at the wind direction indicator.
Perhaps it is time to bring back the cloth wind socks!
It is sure nice to throw around blame, and it is sad that some people feel better when they can just say it is not my fault, someone else is to blame.
The sad fact here is that a 6 y/o child is dead, the family is, well who knows what the family is, they lost a child to a freak tragic, avoidable accident.
I think the contoller should have made a suggestion if he did not, to land into the wind if it were possible. BUT the pilot is in charge, if he felt the planned landing was to risky, he can abort, refuse, delay or devert elsewhere. I am sure the pilot in this case has rethought his actions a million times since the crash. It is a miracle that no one else was injured, and I pray God\’s blessings on everyone involved.
I will not try to cast any blame about this incident. Am very sorry for loss of young son. I have young kids & can\’t imagine what this would be like.
I will question why they had a lawyer speaking for them the morning after the accident. Could they not wait for the dust to settle before they begin legal proceedings? Is our society this hungry for big pockets money that the first thing we do is hire an attorney after tragedy?
Guess what – lawyer is talking about big lawsuits against Southwest and the city. I don\’t care about the suit itself but why not see what you can do before you make the situation ugly?
I\’m not saying that lawyers should not be involved but it does appear bad that we run to professionals so fast.
…is we kill all the lawyers. Even Shakespeare knew that having the same group influencing the insurance industry, the courts, and the legislatures would lead to Bad Things, like the plague of litigious avarice we\’re drowning in.
But how about Reagan breaking the air traffic controller\’s union? Don\’t you think that might have contributed just a wee bit to the veracity of their judgements, not to mention the credibility pilots give to the controllers\’ recommendations?
You lost me. What does the breaking of the union have to do with competence? In the case of teacher\’s unions, it frequently is associated with protection of members without regard for competence.
That\’s the teachers\’ union. I know that they, along with many others, have degenerated to protective organizations dedicated to protecting enormous pension funds. But the ATC\’s had many legitimate procedures to avoid burnout and misjudgement by controllers. In a job with that much pressure and that many rapid-fire decisions to be made, these were wise protections, and the breaking of the union removed them all.
Not to defend anyone in particular, but did it occur to you that the stricken family was probably inundated with calls to help with their prosecution of the city, airport, airline, Controlers, and anyone and everyone the lawyers could think of that could earn them a healthy fee.
Lets put some limits on the lawyers fees and compensate the real people injured in this and all accidents of the future.
Amen to EB.. Lets put limits on the amount
the attorneys can get. Let the money go to the ones that really suffered the loss.
The only pain the attorney\’s have is in their back from carrying all their money to the bank. (mmmmmm— is that a workers comp claim?)
\”Attorneys for the family plan to file suit in Cook County Circuit Court seeking unspecified damages against the airline, the pilots and the City of Chicago, said family spokesman and lawyer Ron Stearney Jr. The lawsuit would allege negligence and wrongful death, and seek damages for pain and suffering, he said.
Two passengers aboard Southwest Flight 1248 are already suing the Dallas-based airline. Mariko L.A. Bennett and Stanley L. Penn allege they were injured when the Boeing 737 slammed through the airport barrier.\”
I bet Southwest, and it\’s insurers, know that they have no hope of winning anything here and would be willing to compensate heavily to avoid more bad publicity.
Why can\’t the injured people wait a few days before suing? Starting lawsuits now is going to make the emotional trauma worse, not better!
Come on, America. We have got to do something for ourselves without getting lawyers involved immediately.
NOTE: Yes, it\’s a horrible tragedy, I\’m not being cold, just upset that we sue so doggone fast.
I agree Kevin, I\’m sure Southwest Airlines would have offered a good settlement without lawyers involved.There is no way they cannot be at fault. I\’m sure now the awards will be much higher with 35% going to the attorney, so the family may wind up with less than they would have without an attorney. IF the offer wasn\’t enough then would be the time to get an attorney involved.
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Media focus and public outcry have focused on possible pilot error or maintanance defect in the aircraft. No one seems to be asking the air traffic controllers why they assigned SW 1248 to land with an 8 knot tailwind. Properly directed landing into the wind should have resulted in a 20 mph lower ground speed, and likely safe stop even with the long approach and poor braking response.
With the billions of dollars that have been spent on airline safety, one would think that
some controller would have thought about looking at the wind direction indicator.
Perhaps it is time to bring back the cloth wind socks!
It is sure nice to throw around blame, and it is sad that some people feel better when they can just say it is not my fault, someone else is to blame.
The sad fact here is that a 6 y/o child is dead, the family is, well who knows what the family is, they lost a child to a freak tragic, avoidable accident.
I think the contoller should have made a suggestion if he did not, to land into the wind if it were possible. BUT the pilot is in charge, if he felt the planned landing was to risky, he can abort, refuse, delay or devert elsewhere. I am sure the pilot in this case has rethought his actions a million times since the crash. It is a miracle that no one else was injured, and I pray God\’s blessings on everyone involved.
I will not try to cast any blame about this incident. Am very sorry for loss of young son. I have young kids & can\’t imagine what this would be like.
I will question why they had a lawyer speaking for them the morning after the accident. Could they not wait for the dust to settle before they begin legal proceedings? Is our society this hungry for big pockets money that the first thing we do is hire an attorney after tragedy?
Guess what – lawyer is talking about big lawsuits against Southwest and the city. I don\’t care about the suit itself but why not see what you can do before you make the situation ugly?
I\’m not saying that lawyers should not be involved but it does appear bad that we run to professionals so fast.
…is we kill all the lawyers. Even Shakespeare knew that having the same group influencing the insurance industry, the courts, and the legislatures would lead to Bad Things, like the plague of litigious avarice we\’re drowning in.
But how about Reagan breaking the air traffic controller\’s union? Don\’t you think that might have contributed just a wee bit to the veracity of their judgements, not to mention the credibility pilots give to the controllers\’ recommendations?
You lost me. What does the breaking of the union have to do with competence? In the case of teacher\’s unions, it frequently is associated with protection of members without regard for competence.
That\’s the teachers\’ union. I know that they, along with many others, have degenerated to protective organizations dedicated to protecting enormous pension funds. But the ATC\’s had many legitimate procedures to avoid burnout and misjudgement by controllers. In a job with that much pressure and that many rapid-fire decisions to be made, these were wise protections, and the breaking of the union removed them all.
Not to defend anyone in particular, but did it occur to you that the stricken family was probably inundated with calls to help with their prosecution of the city, airport, airline, Controlers, and anyone and everyone the lawyers could think of that could earn them a healthy fee.
Lets put some limits on the lawyers fees and compensate the real people injured in this and all accidents of the future.
Amen to EB.. Lets put limits on the amount
the attorneys can get. Let the money go to the ones that really suffered the loss.
The only pain the attorney\’s have is in their back from carrying all their money to the bank. (mmmmmm— is that a workers comp claim?)
Here\’s an except from todays Chicago Tribune:
\”Attorneys for the family plan to file suit in Cook County Circuit Court seeking unspecified damages against the airline, the pilots and the City of Chicago, said family spokesman and lawyer Ron Stearney Jr. The lawsuit would allege negligence and wrongful death, and seek damages for pain and suffering, he said.
Two passengers aboard Southwest Flight 1248 are already suing the Dallas-based airline. Mariko L.A. Bennett and Stanley L. Penn allege they were injured when the Boeing 737 slammed through the airport barrier.\”
I bet Southwest, and it\’s insurers, know that they have no hope of winning anything here and would be willing to compensate heavily to avoid more bad publicity.
Why can\’t the injured people wait a few days before suing? Starting lawsuits now is going to make the emotional trauma worse, not better!
Come on, America. We have got to do something for ourselves without getting lawyers involved immediately.
NOTE: Yes, it\’s a horrible tragedy, I\’m not being cold, just upset that we sue so doggone fast.
I agree Kevin, I\’m sure Southwest Airlines would have offered a good settlement without lawyers involved.There is no way they cannot be at fault. I\’m sure now the awards will be much higher with 35% going to the attorney, so the family may wind up with less than they would have without an attorney. IF the offer wasn\’t enough then would be the time to get an attorney involved.