Pilots blast investigation methods

The global federation of airline pilots yesterday denounced "in the strongest possible terms" what it said was a growing trend to attribute blame in air accidents.

In a statement received here, the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations (IFALPA) said threats of civil or criminal charges against pilots would only hamper the flow of information helpful in preventing future incidents.

The statement was issued by the England-based federation amid reports that the three pilots of the Singapore Airlines (SIA) plane which crashed in Taiwan last week killing 82 people could face charges of causing death through negligence.

The IFALPA called for a "paradigm shift in attitudes towards accident prevention" which would require an understanding of all of the elements involved in any airplane incident.

"The International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Asociations denounces, in the strongest possible terms, the growing and extremely disturbing trend of apportioning `blame' following aircraft accidents," the statement said.

It added that "the threat of civil or criminal proceedings for violations of aviation safety laws and regulations is having a profound and damaging effect on the flow of precious aviation safety information which is essential if lessons are to be learned from accident investigations."

"Many are convinced that the free flow of safety-related information is a vital tool for improving operating standards and can undoubtedly make a very real contribution to aviation safety," it said.

The pilots also called for a "proper safety culture" which would avoid recrimination and speculation but be "supportive of those who commit error and tell about it so that we can all learn."

"Such a culture must come into place worldwide if we are to achieve the safety record that the public will demand as air traffic increases," it said.

Taiwan investigators have asked the pilots of flight SQ006 to remain in the country pending the probe.

Findings showed the Boeing 747-400 jet bound for Los Angeles with 179 people aboard took off from a runway closed for repairs, crashing into heavy equipment before it exploded.

SIA has admitted pilot error and took full responsibility for the tragedy, but sought further investigation on what led the Malaysian pilot, captain Foong Chee Kong, and co-pilots Latiff Cyrano and Ng Kheng Leng, to take the wrong runway.

The three pilots were among the 97 survivors.

Taiwan authorities yesterday underlined their judicial sovereignty over the investigation into the crash.

"We definitely have the judicial sovereignty over any case happening here," a justice ministry official said.

Prosecutor Song Kuo-yeh (宋國業), the head of the crash investigation, was tight-lipped on the case, but has hinted that the three pilots could face up to five years in jail if convicted of manslaughter.

Kay Yong (戎凱), chief executive officer of Taiwan's Aviation Safety Council, has called on Song to be cautious in any attempt to prosecute the three SIA pilots.

"The prosecutor is better to be careful. There is not such a precedent in the international aviation community," Yong said, adding any such legal move may spark a worldwide boycott by pilots.