Wed, Nov 22, 2006
APA: ‘Accident Investigation Should Not Be A Criminal
Proceeding’
The Allied Pilots
Association (APA) has issued an updated statement calling for the
release of the two pilots of an ExcelAire Embraer Legacy 600 that
was involved in an apparent mid-air collision with a Gol Airlines
Boeing 737 on September 29 over Brazil. The two pilots, who are US
citizens, were required by Brazilian authorities to surrender their
passports and have been detained since the accident.
APA previously issued a statement on October 11 emphasizing the
importance of a “full, fair and timely investigation”
into the cause of the accident. The Gol Airlines Boeing 737 went
down with the loss of all 154 aboard, while the damaged ExcelAire
jet landed safely at a remote military airfield.
“The Allied
Pilots Association reiterates its call for a full, fair and timely
accident investigation and respectfully requests that the Brazilian
government permit Captain Joseph Lepore and First Officer Jan
Paladino to return to the United States. We further call upon
Brazilian authorities to conduct this accident investigation
according to widely accepted International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO) Annex 13 guidelines, rather than as a criminal
proceeding. It has long been understood that criminalizing the
accident investigation process has a serious chilling effect on its
effectiveness, since parties to an accident are likely to be less
forthcoming with potentially vital information.
“APA is also asking the U.S. government to express to
Brazilian authorities the need to permit the two pilots to return
to their homes, as well as the importance of conducting the
accident investigation in accordance with ICAO Annex 13.
“In closing, we will continue to keep everyone affected by
this tragic accident in our thoughts and prayers.”
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