Panel Finds Few Problems In Air Force Safety Program String Of Accidents, Including Fairchild Crash, Sparked Inquiry

An independent panel that studied the Air Force’s safety investigation program said Thursday that the system is sound and needs only minor changes, despite a rash of major aircraft accidents last year.

The accidents under scrutiny include the fiery crash of the last B-52 at Fairchild Air Force Base.

“It’s a valid program that works,” said Donald Engen, a retired Navy admiral who chaired the panel.

The panel was formed in response to criticism by Alan Diehl, the Air Force’s former top safety official, who alleged the Air Force did a poor job of investigating accidents because top officers didn’t want to be embarrassed.

Engan said the panel’s inquiry found no instances of Air Force commanders manipulating internal accident investigations.

The panel did find, however, that some Air Force junior officers believe the accident reports are inappropriately influenced by commanders. To change that perception, Engen said the Air Force should continue allowing commanders to review reports but not change them.

Gen. Ronald Fogleman, the Air Force chief of staff, created the Engen panel in June, saying he was worried about the number of accidents.

Chief among them was the June 24, 1994, crash that killed four officers at Fairchild.

The pilot of that plane, Lt. Col. Arthur “Bud” Holland, had a record of flying dangerous maneuvers but never was formally reprimanded by his supervisor or grounded for his actions.

Col. William Pellerin, the officer in charge of Fairchild flight operations when the crash occurred, later was reprimanded and fined $7,500 for allowing Holland to fly maneuvers normally prohibited without special permission.

No other officers were punished, although Pellerin’s supervisor, Col. William Brooks, didn’t get an expected promotion to general.

, DataTimes