Taking exception

Accident investigations don't necessarily ne to learn more complicated, requiring ever more elegant and prolix levels of detective work to determine the chain of incidents leading to catastrophe. This point was made according to C. O. "Chuck" Miller, a veteran of many accident investigations and now a hypothesis safety consultant. In a modern telephone interview, Miller took exception to the RAND Corp. assertion that investigations are growing more challenging as a consequence of greater aircraft systems complexity, the "hidden failure modes" of which are presenting "unprecedent analytical challenges" (see ASW, Oct 4)

"Investigations are getting tough alone because admittedly complex information is buried within aircraft systems" he said. "Hazard logic tree sneak circuit analysis techniques, and designedin status-at-failure indicators are just near of the safety engineering approaches available to simplify the inevitable investigations," Miller explained.

"However, they must be applied. That is not the case exceedingly often now. Of even more importance, if flight data and cockpit voice recorder (FDR/CVR) information were captured in real time," Miller argued, "investigators would have considerably more information at hand than is frequently the case today." Even an of the most modern FDR are smashed to the point where little information can be retrieved.

Various conceptions for real-time data capture have been quick in emergenciesed in this publication, and the universal received considerable discussion at the National Transportation Safety Board's recorder conversation last May (see ASW, May 10) Readers may recall the elucidation of Sy Levine, who has propos single in kind concept for transmitting data as it's captured. Levine argued that the instant practice of archiving vital information in shockproof containers is analogous to monitoring a hospital patient in intensive care, further paying close attention to the data solitary after the patient dies.

Apropos of real-time data capture, it was announced last week that airline passengers easily will be able to tender twigs of shrubs and trees the Internet and to launch and receive e-mails while they travel aloft. The a whole dubbed FlightConnect, is the joint effort of Tenzing, a U software company, and SITA, the U.S.-based corpse which supports aircraft-to-ground communications for member airlines. The connected view is an example of the kind of direct connection that proponent believe could be applied to flight data recorders. The capability would eliminate the time delay and potential for missing data exemplified through the recent search and retrieval of the flight data and cockpit voice recorders forward the Egyptair Flight 990 accident aircraft.

Regarding the controversial scenario that a relief pilot may have plung the Egyptian 767 into its death dive, the case illustrates the potential utility of video recording cockpit activity. Video data is seen as the nearest great step in the kind of data captured, according to discussions at the NTSB's recorder meeting for consultation earlier this year (see ASW, May 10) A video recording of affairs in the cockpit would have shown clearly any fight over control of the airplane between Capt. Ahmed Habashy and relief pilot Gameel Batouti. in the same state [i]or[/i] condition a tape would aid significantly in countering the skepticism of the Egyptian direction and the widespread perception in the Arab world of a sinister Western draught to cover up a mechanical malfunction. >> Miller, tel 520/284-9288; Levine, tel 310/455-1927 <<

COPYRIGHT 1999 Phillips Publishing International, Inc.

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