The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1953-11-07
BY SUMNER ALBUM

Continued from Last Issue)
In the ak years from 1916 to 1952, pilot the
primary of 80 per of all US. air-carrer acct
dents scheduled domestic flights and of Sc per of
scheduled hghts were caused
by pilot and So per of all accidents nom
scheduled international Aights
There were 36 accidents among passenger-carrying
planes of the scheduled line. in the United States
The CAB that IA of these caused by
pilot Five of these accidents falkland of
these, " resulted from pilot error.
The bare tabula list variety of cockpit errors
failure to retract extend landing kear, msudsed dis
lance improper instrument operation, failure
altitude careless and reckless operation.
1t when you dig beneath these bare abuations that
find the frightening human factor that the primary
cause of many of the errors-INCOMPETENCY. -.
Ninety per the nations air line pilots are able
competent They largely responsible for safety
record that in 1852 involved only forty passenger
tiles out of some 25000000 carried sched
uled air lines fatality of only IS passenger deaths
for each loo.ooo,ooo passenger miles flown.
But there also the incompetent and they fly
ing air liners you may ride in
The air lines know it. So do Civil Aeronsutics Off
Gals and the Air Line Pilots Association the powerful
union of the who fly in commercial aviation. The
'ncompetents flying because the three groups in
voived-management, union and Government-do not
always eye-to-eye, and the Governments agency
which should have the last word has yet up fool
proof human safeguards.
FIFTEEN PER CENT ARE UNSAFE
II conservatvey estimated that per of the
pilots are incompetent The CAA'. medical director Dr.
William Stoval puts the figure higher He is willing to
guess land he cautions it guess) that fifteen per cent
OF the airline pilots physically mentally unsafe to
fly.
Some Of them flying, says Dr. Stoval because the
CAA has leaned over backward to pass border-ne
SoH's OF them get by with unsafe mental physical
conditions they have failed reporter deliberately con.
eesied-rom the examining physicians. Some are Ayins
with II IL. IL
their last medical exam Captains and pilots are
smned every six months, and pilots once a weary
The Polyanna naturalization that pilot, particular.
~ one who is older and seasoned will be supersae
ms own life as much at stake his passengers
hold true for most of the borderlne ers Dr. Stova
They willing to gamble their own lives-snd
as long as they get away with il.
they gamble the way lo,0oo-hour veteran did few
years ago over Texas He flying
IN command of hfty-three lives besides his own
ryins through clear dawn skies a 5000 feet the
captain moved to jump in the middle of the
ana turned the controls another pilot Suddenly
ne sat there watching the other pilot the
aown and pulled the lever that engages the gust lock
mechanism designed to keep the elevators from being
aseo by wind when the plane on the ground
no one but The captain knew what he had done The
Po' IN control felt the 60 up suddenly and tried %
right it. And then, just az suddenly a. h. IA -.
nrs incredible move the captain released the qua, I
wow the planes nose pitched violently toward earth rh
captain and pilot hurled from their ...,. OIL az
taet that the co-piot strapped in averted d;.,r
AZ that the plane only 400 from the ground III.
he hnaiiy brought il under control
At hearing eighteen days later, the command p;lo,
certificate to fly revoked by the CAB The hearing
board concluded: Sufficient cause existed to ;u.f
the time or any time in the future, refusal bv IN. Al
mntrator of Civil Aeronautcs issue to the re,nondr
'ny pilot certificate rating which would permit him -
carry passengers for hire"
let four years later the command pilot who had gam
"'yIour lives was reinstaed the CAA books.
lie had started over from scratch tbro,sh - -"
a. student TO earn private license then up thro,.h
"'u''-ens'ne qualification Today he is fully rated com
merc'ai pilot The CABS "any time in tn. fu,ur.. -.
been wiped out. mas
tIo be continued next week)