Families of ValuJet victims attend NTSB hearings

React emotionally to testimony of bungling, fingerpointing

November 22, 1996
Web posted at: 9:00 p.m. EST

MIAMI (CNN) -- It was an emotional day for friends and relatives of the victims of Valujet Flight 592, which plunged into the Everglades last May killing all 110 people aboard.

They listened with astonishment as a Federal Aviation Administration manager testified that his warnings about the discount airline were ignored.

But amid the bureaucratic bungling and fingerpointing, family members also found someone to trust: John Goglia, head of the National Transportation Safety Board panel investigating the crash.

Goglia didn't hedge in stating his opinion that the FAA let politics interfere with passenger safety.

"This smells, this really smells," he said of the FAA's apparently lax oversight of Valujet before the crash. "Every soul at the NTSB is doing his or her level best to make sure that this never happens again."

Relatives Friday applauded Goglia's remarks, shouting "Thank you, John!" as they have several times during the week.

Here is what several relatives had to say about the hearings.

Richard Kessler, victim's husband:

"...Congress and the White House have an opportunity to make our skies safe right now...I hope 110 people didn't die in vain"

(233K/22 sec. AIFF or WAV sound)