- A ruling by federal investigators that pilot error was
to blame for the crash that killed Sen. Paul Wellstone and seven others
was painful for Wellstone's supporters.
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- Jeff Blodgett, Wellstone's campaign manager in his three
races, said the findings, presented Tuesday in Washington at a meeting
of the National Transportation Safety Board, were ``extremely disturbing.''
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- ``It's now crystal clear the crash didn't have to happen
and never should have happened,'' Blodgett said. ``Those two pilots should
have never been allowed to fly people in that plane, and I hope the people
who allowed those pilots to fly with such precious cargo are held responsible.''
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- Family members of Wellstone, his wife Sheila, his daughter
Marcia Wellstone Markuson, and the three other passengers killed in the
Oct. 25, 2002, plane crash reached a $25 million settlement this summer
with the company that operated the flight, Aviation Charter Inc. of Eden
Prairie. No relatives immediately responded to request for reaction on
the safety board's actions.
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- Investigators discounted icing as a cause of the crash.
Instead, they said pilot Richard Conry, 55, and co-pilot Michael Guess,
30, didn't maintain enough speed on approach to the Eveleth-Virginia Municipal
Airport in northeastern Minnesota.
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- Blodgett, who spoke for Wellstone's two surviving sons,
said the insurance settlement doesn't rise to the level of accountability.
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- ``Insurance is there to compensate the families for the
loss they had,'' he said. Blodgett wouldn't elaborate on what additional
actions he thought should be taken against the charter company.
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- The Federal Aviation Administration, which has the power
to fine aircraft operators and strip them of flight certificates, will
review the NTSB's report and recommendations ``to determine if further
actions need to be taken,'' said Chicago-based spokesman Tony Molinaro.
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- The NTSB faulted the charter company for not having adequate
safety procedures for its crews to follow in emergency situations. The
FAA reviewed the company's hiring practices last fall and found no violations.
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- The NTSB recommended that the FAA research whether planes
like the one Wellstone was in should contain equipment that alert pilots
more quickly when air speed is too low.
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- Michael Lindberg, a lawyer for the company, did not immediately
return a call Tuesday seeking comment. The company, owned by Roger and
Shirley Wikner, has consistently denied negligence by pilots and management.
The Wikners didn't return a call to their Eden Prairie headquarters.
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- Wellstone had been using Aviation Charter for senatorial
and campaign work since 1992, and he considered himself comfortable flying
with Conry, Blodgett said.
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- ``He thought he was safe,'' Blodgett said. ``We were
not informed of the shortcomings of his background and his experience.''
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- A reporter seeking comment from Conry's widow, Johanne,
was turned away from her Twin Cities home on Tuesday. Errol Kantor, a Minneapolis
attorney for Ms. Conry, also refused comment.
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- The NTSB found no clear evidence who was flying the plane.
Nevertheless, Michael Padden, an attorney for Guess's estate, said the
NTSB's blanket reference to errors by the ``flight crew'' wasn't fair to
his client.
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- ``I suppose you can place some blame on the poor co-pilot,''
Padden said. But, he added, ``The point is the flying pilot's responsible
for air speed and navigation. He's flying the plane; it's his responsibility.''
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- Padden said he is preparing a wrongful death lawsuit
against Conry's estate that could be filed within the next month.
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- The NTSB released an executive summary Tuesday, but doesn't
expect to issue a complete report for about six weeks.
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