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Pinnacle defends pilot safety
(Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Feb. 19--The Memphis-based owners of Colgan Air defended training practices and pilot credentials Wednesday, saying it's premature to speculate about the cause of last week's fatal crash in Buffalo, N.Y.
Pinnacle Airlines issued a statement after The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources, said evidence pointed to pilot error in the Continental Flight 3407 crash that killed 50. A statement issued by officials at Pinnacle's headquarters near Memphis International Airport said crew training programs "meet or exceed the regulatory requirements," and that the pilot, Capt. Marvin Renslow, had the highest possible pilot certification.
"It's important not to jump to conclusions, and instead focus on what is factual and released by the investigating team at the NTSB," said Pinnacle CEO Phil Trenary. "Right now, the only absolute fact is that we do not definitively know the cause of this accident."
National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Keith Holloway said it is too early to definitively say what brought the plane down, but nothing mechanically wrong with the plane has been found.
Colgan is a Manassas, Va.-based airline that flies regional routes under contracts with Continental, U.S. Airways and United. The holding company's other subsidiary, Pinnacle Airlines Inc., is based in Memphis and flies as Delta Connection and Northwest Airlink.
The companies have about 6,000 employees, including nearly 2,000 in the Memphis area. Officials have studied consolidation of Colgan and Pinnacle subsidiaries at a single location in Memphis, either Downtown or in the airport area, but haven't reached a decision.
Pinnacle stock got hammered Wednesday, dropping 28.4 percent to close at $1.31 per share. It was at $2.35 last Thursday, the day of the crash.
Trenary said he's optimistic about Pinnacle's prospects, despite the challenging times.
"Pinnacle has the best model in the regional airline industry," he said.
"We have a good strategy and great team in place for continued growth and creation of shareholder value.
"In terms of financial impact from the accident, we are fully insured to a level comparable to major airlines and we don't anticipate financial problems. Both airlines continue to operate normally, and we appreciate the confidence our customers and partners have shown."
The Wall Street Journal story cited evidence that after the plane's stall alarm sounded, Renslow pulled back on the controls and increased power, rather than following proper procedure of pushing forward on controls. Previous speculation centered on ice buildup on the Bombardier Q400's wings and tail.
To see more of The Commercial Appeal, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.commercialappeal.com.
Copyright (c) 2009, The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tenn.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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