The Potomac River Midair Collision

Posted by mplanchard 11 hours ago

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Comments

Comment by fmajid 2 hours ago

My nephew's wife died in that crash. Only 26, and already a widower.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/husband-pa...

Comment by smitty1e 35 minutes ago

Ouch. I knew three of the deceased. #RIP

Comment by sklargh 3 hours ago

Well worth reading and I appreciated the PDF to print out.

Comment by worik 2 hours ago

I have just finished chapter 2.

About congress overriding safety concerns for their personal convenience

Air traffic controllers' concerns were shutdown by the FAA because of "politics"

I am gobsmacked. Where was the air traffic controllers' union? They could have used industrial action to address the unsafe conditions

I am yet to finish the document. I am expecting to see the ATCs and the pilots blamed by the authorities, I hope not.

Comment by Jtsummers 1 hour ago

> Where was the air traffic controllers' union? They could have used industrial action to address the unsafe conditions

Effectively neutered 45 years ago after the strike in 1981.

Comment by anonymousiam 29 minutes ago

Chapter 7 has the juicy details that nobody wants to discuss.

Comment by cucumber3732842 1 hour ago

>I am gobsmacked. Where was the air traffic controllers' union? They could have used industrial action to address the unsafe conditions

Think about the incentives for a few nanoseconds.

If you think a union wouldn't wheel and deal and enter into some handshake agreement to "table this one concern to next year" indefinitely in exchange for something I've got a bridge to sell you.

Adding another entity isn't gonna change the fact that the local controllers will still be the only people who care (because it's likely their ass if something happens).

Comment by Jtsummers 59 minutes ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1981_Professional_Air_Traffic_...

That's the last time there was an ATC strike, 90% were fired and they got none of their demands. Turns out, the people of the US don't care if their air traffic controllers are overworked, understaffed, and chronically exhausted. They just want to (maybe) get to their destinations.

Comment by stego-tech 2 hours ago

I’ve read NTSB reports before. Studied aviation accidents as a hobby to help me overcome a sudden and irrational fear of flying (thanks Final Destination!).

I’m on Chapter 4, and this is, by far the best report I’ve ever read. Each section addressed in depth, historical context included because it’s important rather than omitted as being technically irrelevant. Dirty laundry splayed out on a blank canvas for the viewer to observe, digest, and reflect upon.

Not since the DC-10 have I been so incensed at an institution for its pettiness, personal vanity, and bureaucracy as I am with Congress, the FAA, the NTSB, and the DoD right now.

Comment by bell-cot 10 hours ago

6 submissions, 4 comments, and a combined 24 upvotes so far:

https://news.ycombinator.com/from?site=admiralcloudberg.medi...

Keep trying, folks. This one is worth it.

EDIT:

> Note that this is a long article (~3 hour read). If you just want the executive summary of what happened, I might suggest skipping forward to chapter 7 first and then if you want more, go back and read the in-depth analysis of earlier chapters. [HN user kraussvonespy 2 days ago]

- Which doesn't mention that the first 6 para's of Chapter 7 are an excellent tl;dr; of the previous 6 chapters. And definitely understates both the detail and quality of the balance of Chapter 7 (the minute-by-minute details leading up to the crash).

Comment by MBCook 3 hours ago

I tried to read it. Section list isn’t links. Tried to scroll, got a full screen dickbox. Gave up.

If you want to write for email, just write for email and don’t put it on the web. If you wanna put it on the web, use web features.

And either way, don’t put full screen stuff in my face when I’m trying to read.

I gave up. I’ll wait for a summary from another website that treats users better.

Comment by worik 2 hours ago

Download the ePub