Mixed Messages Blamed for Icy Runway Tragedy
The crew of a Southwest Airlines jet received differing reports on runway conditions as it approached Chicago’s Midway Airport, where their jet skidded off the runway and killed a 6-year-old boy, according to a cockpit transcript that was released.
The National Transportation Safety Board is looking into procedures for landing at short or slippery runways as a result of the Dec. 8 accident.
The jet, landing in snowy conditions, crashed through a fence into the street, killing Joshua Woods of Leroy, Ind., as he was riding in a car.
During Tuesday’s NTSB hearing, safety officials were told that there is no single, reliable way to measure a runway’s slickness in bad weather, making it hard for pilots to figure out how much room they need to land.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
