The Buffalo News reported today that Colgan Air says the probable cause of February’s fatal crash in Clarence Center that claimed 50 lives was the pilots’ “loss of situational awareness and failure to follow Colgan Air training and procedures, which led to a loss of control of the aircraft.” The regional airline company, in a 66-page report to the National Transportation Safety Board, also cited as contributing to the crash the lack of low-speed warnings in the cockpit instrument panel on the Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 turboprop. It was also reported that the pilots union said a combination of factors caused the crash. The union cited Colgan for failing to adequately prepare the pilots for the conditions that faced them Feb. 12, when the aircraft went into an aerodynamic stall and spun out of control. The two reports were submitted Dec. 7 as the board continues to investigate the cause of the turboprop crash.

Drowning. A Silent Event.
Even the most vigilant parent may not recognize the signs of drowning because we are only familiar with how television shows depict a drowning person. A drowning person does not splash around, wave their hands and call for help. Drowning is a silent event. Because it is such