NTSB accepts finding of pilot error in Wellstone crash
From Beth Lewandowski
CNN Washington Bureau
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Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minnesota, was killed in a plane crash October 25, 2002.
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The National Transportation Safety Board Tuesday accepted the findings of investigators who said pilot error was to blame for the crash of a small plane in northern Minnesota last year that killed Sen. Paul Wellstone.
"Interviews revealed shortcomings in the proficiency of both pilots," said Frank Hilldrup, NTSB investigator in charge. He and other investigators testified at a National Transportation Safety Board hearing Tuesday.
He said the investigation also indicated that Aviation Charter, the company that owned the plane, did not provide adequate training in standard operating procedure and crew resource management.
The NTSB recommended that the Federal Aviation Administration should do better monitoring of private charter companies, and that the monitoring should include traveling on planes to evaluate pilot performance.
Also, it said the FAA should convene a panel of experts to determine whether it's feasible to require private charter planes to have advanced stall alert systems and what alert system would work best. The Wellstone plane had a stall alert system, but the NTSB couldn't say definitively if it was working at the time of the accident.
Investigators said that as the plane made its final approach to the runway of Eveleth-Virginia Municipal Airport it was going too fast and then abruptly slowed to 76 knots about 1,800 feet before landing. It then stalled and crashed.
The investigators said one of the pilots should have been monitoring air speed. They believe an oral stall warning probably activated and the pilots didn't react to it quickly.
Investigators maintain that inattention, distraction or lack of knowledge about the proper speed caused the problem. They said fatigue wasn't a problem. Clouds might have prevented the pilots from seeing the airport, they said.
Also, they said the plane deviated from its final approach course and should have executed a go-around.
The accident took place October 25, 2002. The plane was a King Air A100.
Along with Wellstone, pilot Capt. Richard Conry, co-pilot Michael Guess, Wellstone's wife, their daughter and three campaign workers died in the crash.
The NTSB released documents earlier this year showing that Conry almost decided to cancel the flight after receiving the morning's weather report forecasting light snow and mist, freezing temperatures and low ground visibility for northeastern Minnesota.
Conry had several conversations with controllers about the icy conditions. After receiving later reports that the weather was improving slightly, he decided the conditions "met his minimums" and decided to embark on the flight, according to controller statements documented in the report.
Apparently, that satisfied Wellstone who was personally appraised of the weather conditions, according to the report.
The investigators said they do not think heavy icing took place during the flight.
