On February 12, 2008, a plane crashed into a residential home, killing 50 people. Reports contribute the crash to ice on the wing, but final reports have yet to be released.
Could the catastrophic crash of Flight 3407 have been avoided? According to an article in the New York Times, by Matthew L.Wald, the Federal Aviation Administration has not yet established sufficient criteria for testing plane designs in various weather conditions. In this article, Wald states “The F.A.A. is studying how to enlarge the ‘flight envelope’ of weather conditions that new designs must meet, but it has not finished that job in the nearly 15 years since the Roselawn accident.”
Why is this? Although stricter flight regulations will reportedly hinder the areas planes can fly, aren’t they necessary for the safety of plane passengers, staff, and families in neighborhoods that planes fly over? I think so.