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ValuJet flight box holds clues to crash

May 14, 1996
Web posted at: 12:45 p.m. EDT

MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- Investigators were analyzing data Tuesday from the flight recorder recovered from the ValuJet DC-9 that crashed Saturday in the Florida Everglades, hoping to find out what caused the disaster.

The flight data recorder shows the plane's altitude, air speed, what direction it was heading and the rate of climb and descent. The box was sent to National Transportation Safety Board headquarters for analysis, stored in a water-filled cooler to protect it from dryness and possible damage.

Francis

The recorder already has provided helpful infromation, said Robert Francis, vice chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, on Tuesday. He declined to provide details. (145K AIFF or WAV sound)

Searchers resumed their slow, dangerous hunt in the swamp for remains of the 109 people aboard, debris and the jet's cockpit voice recorder, CNN's Kathleen Koch reported from the scene.(160K AIFF or WAV sound) The plane was en route from Miami to Atlanta.

Rescuers said so far no intact bodies had been found. At least 12 bags of body parts had been recovered, but Dade County Medical Examiner Roger Mittleman said some of the remains may never be identified because of their condition. Among the body parts were fingers, hands and feet -- but nothing larger than a knee.

"This is about as bad as it gets in terms of body recovery," he said.(140K AIFF or WAV sound) ValuJet was interviewing families to compile details on the victims that will be used in the identification process.

Probe of FAA

A transportation watchdog was investigating reports that Federal Aviation Administration officials were pressured to certify low-fare airlines.

Over the years, Transportation Department Inspector General Mary Fackler Schiavo has criticized the work of FAA inspectors, who are under the department. On Monday, she was skeptical of FAA assurances that ValuJet was safe.

When asked Tuesday about recent comments that she would not fly on ValuJet, she replied, "It's not part of my job to promote airlines or sell tickets on ValuJet."

FAA adds inspectors

Under orders from President Clinton to ensure airline safety, the FAA announced Tuesday that it would hire more inspectors quickly and make sure they are doing their job.

Hinson

The FAA had been planning to hire 300 to 400 more safety inspectors this year. FAA Administrator David R. Hinson said the effort will be speeded up -- with 100 hired by June.

Hinson testified before the Senate Transportation Committee that employees were being added in response to Clinton's demand that the nation's airlines "continue to operate at the highest level of safety."

The FAA on Monday began a month-long safety checkup of ValuJet, and Clinton ordered Transportation Secretary Federico Pena to report this week on whether more should be done to assure airline safety.

Earlier flight had trouble

The crew of Flight 592 reported smoke in the cockpit and cabin before the tower lost contact. Before flying from Atlanta to Miami on its next to last flight earlier Saturday, the plane was delayed by maintenance problems, according to records reviewed by investigators.

A worker had to replace circuit breakers for the fuel pump twice before the plane was cleared to take off.

Chamberlin

Pilot Candalyn Kubeck was concerned about the safety of the older DC-9s she was flying and kept meticulous records of all problems she found, her stepmother said Monday.

But in an interview with CNN's Los Angeles affiliate, KCAL, Joan Chamberlin added, "She would not have flown if she had known of any problems." (170K AIFF or WAV sound)

Kubeck's father described his daughter's records as "notes on maintenance" regarding the airline's aging fleet of twin engine jets, but said they contained "nothing significant."

Hugh Chamberlin told CNN that his daughter would bring her notes to the attention of airline officials in Dallas, Texas, where she was based. He said her husband, Roger Kubeck, has retrieved the notes and said there did not appear to be anything in them that would offer a clue as to why the DC-9 crashed.


Oldest planes

Pilot

The average age of ValuJet's 51 planes, mostly DC-9s, is 26.4 years, according to a comparison compiled by The New York Times. The second oldest fleet, averaging 22.8 years, is operated by Kiwi, another low-cost airline.

No-frills carrier Southwest Airlines has the youngest average fleet at 8.3 years.

Kubeck, 35, was believed to be the first female captain of a commercial jet to die in a U.S. crash. She had logged 8,885 commercial flying hours. Hired by ValuJet in 1993, she had 2,073 hours of flying time with the Atlanta-based airline, most of it as a captain.

Reporter Kathleen Koch and theAssociated Press contributed to this report.

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