Saturday, September 24, 1994

USAIR FLIGHT 427 CRASH BEARS A HAUNTING RESEMBLANCE TO UNITED FLIGHT 585 CRASH IN 1991

Nationally Known Aviation Attorney Questions A Control System Malfunction

PHILADELPHIA -- September 9, 1994 -- Last night's tragic plane crash of USAir Flight 427 in Pittsburgh bears a haunting resemblance to the 1991 United Flight 585 crash which happened in Colorado Springs, Co. Witnesses' descriptions of the last moments of the USAir's Boeing 737 are strikingly similar to those of United 585 -- another Boeing 737.

In both accidents, the airplanes were described as rolling over onto their sides and diving straight into the ground. The manufacturer and airline in the Colorado accident claimed wind shear as the cause of the crash. Nationally known aviation attorney, pilot and spokesperson for aviation safety, Arthur A. Wolk, wonders where the blame will be placed this time because weather conditions at the time of the USAir Flight 427 crash were perfect.

"Interestingly," says Wolk, "the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) never fully investigated reported control malfunctions in the Boeing 737s. This was due in large part to the suspicion that the accident was caused by wind shear, or inclement weather, and not by a control malfunction. Hopefully, the FAA and the NTSB will now conduct an in-depth investigation of the control systems of the 737s and specifically those malfunctions which may have caused this accident. In doing so, they may prevent further loss of life."