Ansett NZ Crash Pilot Not Guilty Of Manslaughter! — Civil Aviation Forum

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Ansett NZ Crash Pilot Not Guilty Of Manslaughter!

TG992 From New Zealand, joined Jan 2001, 2910 posts, RR: 11
Posted (11 years 11 months 3 weeks 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 2008 times:

The verdict came in tonight after a 29 day trial.
Captain Garry Sotheran found not guilty of 9 counts including manslaughter.
His Dash-8 aircraft crashed at Palmerston North in 1995 after he and the copilot tried to resolve a possible landing gear fault and the aircraft drifted below minimum altitudes, crashing into a hill.
4 people died including the flight attendant.

The trial was a first in that the CVR was allowed to be used as evidence.

I feel that justice has been done in this case. I'm really glad that Captain Sotheran can get on with his life.

Read the entire story at
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=192667&thesection=news&thesubsection=general

comments?

7 replies: All unread, jump to last

Airnewzealand From New Zealand, joined Oct 2000, 2538 posts, RR: 6
Reply 1, posted (11 years 11 months 3 weeks 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 1968 times:

I think part of the crash was his fault!! He should of at least had to pay a fine to the FA's parents.
OIt was so sad to see that she died. And she died while she was looking over a passenger reassuring him that everything would be alright!! She was also very pretty Aswell!!

TG i must admitt, your topic on QF/SQ/NZ/AN has done really well in Replies!!

I am sad!! Sad

(Because the FA died!!)

Mikey

VirginA340 From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 15 posts, RR: 0
Reply 2, posted (11 years 11 months 3 weeks 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 1963 times:

This is outrageous. This is the biggest slap in the face since The disaster verdict of the trial in which a man who broke a CO's gate agents neck and nearly killed him was acquitted in Newark. He should atleast pay a stiff fine and I hope that he is not immuned from any lawsuits coming from the victims families. I happened to be the relative of one of the dead pax God help him that he had better not be in a locked room with me.

"FUIMUS"

TG992 From New Zealand, joined Jan 2001, 2910 posts, RR: 11
Reply 3, posted (11 years 11 months 3 weeks 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 1942 times:

Virgin and Mike - the evidence showed that the most probably sequence of events was that Captain Sotheran's altimeter got stuck, leading him to believe he was above the safely required altitude.

Virgin - Perhaps you should direct your anger towards the Ansett NZ (which became Qantas NZ and subsequently folded) for taking so long to replace the undercarriage parts which led to the disaster in the first place.

Thanx for the ... observation Mike! 129 replies ain't bad for our little battler of an airline, huh? Smile

T prop From United States of America, joined Apr 2001, 995 posts, RR: 1
Reply 4, posted (11 years 11 months 3 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 1939 times:

Virgin 340,

Losing a relative on Ansett NZ 703 and your best friend on Pan Am 103, must be hard.
My condolences to you.

T prop.

Airnewzealand From New Zealand, joined Oct 2000, 2538 posts, RR: 6
Reply 5, posted (11 years 11 months 3 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 1931 times:

Hey TG992

LOL, I agree!!!!

Cheers
mikey

ILOVEA340 From United States of America, joined Oct 1999, 2100 posts, RR: 5
Reply 6, posted (11 years 11 months 3 weeks 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 1928 times:

this is a very tuchy situation. I personaly think that the pilot should not be held responsible in this case as he was trying to repair a major fault in the aircraft (which also could have killed people) and there are other factors aswell.

VirginA340 From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 15 posts, RR: 0
Reply 7, posted (11 years 11 months 3 weeks 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 1925 times:

T prop; Thanks for the condolense but thankfully non of the people I know were on that Ansett flight. I stated my last post as an example as If I was one the relative of the pax who died . Unfortioanatly I forgot to check my post before hitting the button. Sorry that I misled you. But Iwish I could say the same about PA 103 but unfortionatly I can't.

This situation with the altimeter reminds me of the 3 EAL pilots who delayed the landing of their L-1011 because they were busy focusing on a 10 cent landing lightbulb. One accidentally turned of the autopilot and the plane began it's slow descent into the Everglades. 101 died and 80 survived. I wonder if any of the surviving crew menbers go disiplanary action along with the DELTA 727 flight crew that did not set the flaps because the were too busy chatting to the FA. They were joking about that CO DC-9 in DEN that crashed because the FA was distracting the pilots

"FUIMUS"

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