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Crash of Flight 3407
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Check our extensive audio archives for complete crash coverage. Every briefing and liveline is online at WBEN.com, with transcripts available. 

Scroll through the our archive below complete crash coverage including these stories....

WBEN Exclusive: A Survivor Speaks- Karen's Story |   WBEN's Steve Cichon on what the site is like now |  A First Look at The Crash Scene | A Crash Scene Photo Album
NTSB Releases More Transcripts
 New transcripts from the cockpit voice recorder of Flight 3407 have been released by the NTSB today. Earlier in the investigation, a partial transcript of the discussions between piolt and co-pilot were released, offering details leading up to  the crash of the Colgan Air Dash 8. 
Flight 3407: Ground Control Tapes
Flight 3407: Buffalo Airport Approach Tapes

Flight 3407: Buffalo Clearance Tower Tapes

Flt 3407 Legacy: FAA Proposed New Pilot Fatigue Rules

Obama administration officials said Monday they will propose new limits on how many hours airline pilots can fly in an effort to curb pilot fatigue, an issue safety officials have been urging action on for two decades

WBEN Extra: How Safe Are Regional Airlines?
"In this country, we continue to have a remarkably safe air system. But we have a responsibility to examine crashes when they occur and ensure that we do all we can to prevent further accidents.”  -Senator Byron L. Dorgan,
Congress To FAA: Fix Tired Pilot & Training Issues
Members of Congress said Thursday they will try to force regional airlines to fix problems with pilot training and fatigue highlighted by an investigation into an air crash in upstate New York in February.
Flt. 3407: FAA to Inspect Pilot Training at Regional Airlines
Federal officials said Tuesday they will beef up inspection of pilot training programs at regional airlines in response to safety concerns raised by the crash of a regional airliner in Clarence Center in February.
Senators Urge FAA to Adopt Safety Recommendation
Senators on Wednesday urged the Federal Aviation Administration to implement a 2005 recommendation that airlines be required to check the training histories of pilots they hire, an issue in a February air crash near Clarence Center.
Mother of Flight 3407 Co-Pilot Speaks Out
Lyn Morris, the mother of Rebecca Lynn Shaw, co-pilot on Flight 3407, spoke to Seattle CBS affiliate KIRO about her thoughts on the NTSB hearings into the crash.

Morris told KIRO her daughter has not been portrayed accurately by the hearings. Morris says "it's wrong, just wrong" to portray Shaw as unprofessional, saying her daughter would never had gone into the
Senators Seek Safety Probe of Regional Airlines
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Four senators, including the chairman of the Senate's aviation panel, have asked a government watchdog to investigate safety enforcement at regional airlines.
In a letter released Tuesday, the senators told Transportation Department Inspector General Calvin Scovel that the circumstances of the crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407 near Buffalo in February raised
From the WSJ: More Scrutiny for Gulfstream
Federal investigators are stepping up their scrutiny of Gulfstream, the subcontractor that handled training for Colgan and Continental airlines, in advance of the crash of Flight 3407 in Clarence Center Feb.12.


Victims Families In Cheektowaga
In Washington and in Cheektowaga, families of the victims of Flight 3407 are gathering to watch the NTSB hearings and to  support one another.  For Ruthann Stilwell, three months ago feels like yesterday but she says she gains strength from her sister Mary Abraham. "My sister was amazing...she's telling me to do this" says
NTSB Transcripts & Reports: From Calm To Chaos In Cockpit
Just seconds before the worst U.S. air crash in more than seven years, the pilot exclaimed "Jesus Christ" and moments later his first officer screamed as Flight 3407 plunged to the ground.   The cockpit voice recorder transcript was one of several reports released Tuesday by the National Transportation Safety Board  as part of their hearngs on the crash in Clarence Center.
Flt. 3407 Cockpit Transcript: From Calm To Chaos
Just seconds before the worst U.S. air crash in more than seven years, the pilot said "Jesus Christ" and moments later his first officer screamed as Flight 3407 plunged to the ground.  Yet a cockpit voice recorder transcript released Tuesday shows that only minutes before the Feb. 12 crash in Clarence Center the crew was chatting about their careers and the  fear of flying in icy weather.
LIVE VIDEO NOW: NTSB Hearing on Flight 3407
WATCH THE HEARING:   Real Media Player version  |  Windows Media Player version 
READ: The Hearing Agenda   
Click the headline above for every Flight 3407 story: The Latest news; The Complete WBEN.com archive
More Family Members Sue over Flight 3407 Crash
The families of Ronald and Linda Davidson, who died aboard Flight 3407 as it crashed in Clarence Center, are the latest to file a lawsuit against the airline.
Prominent Aviation Attorney Signs On; Releases 3407 Animation
A prominent national aviation law firm that has been signed to represent 3 families who lost loved ones aboard Continental Flight 3407 is suggesting that pilot training, icing and night time flying may have been contributing factors to the crash in Clarence last month.

"To us, we are really looking at pilot training, and I think to the NTSB too, we are really looking at pilot training, emergency training, stall recovery training and ultimately the experience  of the pilot," says  attorney Justin Green, with Kriendler & Kriendler LLP.

Also Inside: Watch the  Law Firm's Animation | Complete Crash Coverage | Exclusive WBEN Audio
Gov. Paterson Proposes Flight 3407 Scholarships
Sons of Crash Victim File Wrongful Death Suit
The sons of Susan Wehle, killed aboard Flight 3407 two weeks ago, have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Continental Airlines, Pinnacle Airlines, Colgan Air, and Bombardier Aerospace.

Ronald L.M. Goldman is the Los Angeles-based attorney for Jonah and Jacob Mink. Goldman claims the flight crew's actions were negligent by flying by autopilot in icy conditions. Goldman also contends the
US House Of Representives Remembers Flight 3407
Text of the resolution expressing condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims of the crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407 
Aviation Group Sues FAA Over Icing, Other Safety Issues

Airline safety advocates filed a lawsuit Tuesday to force the U.S. Department of Transportation to adopt long-standing safety recommendations in the wake of  the crash of Flight 3407 in Clarence Center. The Air Disaster Alliance wants the federal government to implement a range of new rules that have been recommended by the agency investigating the Clarence crash.

Clarence Fire Dept. Represented At Obama Speech
When Flight 3407 went down in Clarence, Clarence Center Fire Chief David Case was on the scene, serving as incident commander. When the nation's commander in chief delivered his first speech to a joint session of Congress Tuesday, Case was there too, accepting honors on behalf of his colleagues who were at the Crash of Flight 3407.
What Should A Flight 3407 Memorial Look Like?
Bulldozers have graded the scene where Flight 3407 crashed into the Wielinski home on Long Street in Clarence, and the 12 families evacuated in the wake of the crash are expected to return Tuesday to a neighborhood that needs no reminders yet of what happened there.
 
But eventually should there be a memorial on the site?  What would it look like?
LIVELINE: Thomas Coseo, Clarence Schools

Exclusive WBEN Audio: One Week Later- Scott Bylewski & Pat Casilio

Exclusive WBEN Audio: NTSB Member Steve Chealander Reflects on His Career

Pilot of doomed flight described as 'by the book'
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Marvin Renslow's dream of becoming a commercial pilot did not come easy. Even after he got hired by a regional carrier he had to moonlight at a grocery, stocking shelves to make ends meet for his wife and two children.
It's that kind of dedication that makes Renslow's friends cringe to hear speculation that his errors could have caused the crash of Flight 3407.
More Crash Site Work, Re-Entry Delayed
Clarence, NY (WBEN)- Crews in cherry pickers were power-washing mud off of roofs, and workers were shovelling mud off of  Long St. , as the work continues to get residents back into their Clarence Center homes as quickly as possible, though it looks like that might not happen until later this week.
Mourners Gather For Crash Victims
Hundreds of mourners gathered Saturday to remember a Sept. 11 widow killed in a commuter plane crash and the owner of the suburban Buffalo home that was destroyed by the crash.The two were among the 50 people who died when Flight 3407 from Newark, N.J., fell from the sky as it approached the Buffalo airport on Feb. 12.
Clarence Seeks A Normal That May Never Come
Outside the churches and businesses in  Clarence Center , you can still see signboards with messages of comfort, and ribbons memorializing the people who lost their lives on Flight 3407.  Yet inside many stores, shops and even inside the minds of the residents, there is also a desire to try and get beyond the events of this past week, without forgetting the loss.
Lead Investigator Once Saved Own Plane From Icing Stall
The public face of the probe into the crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407 is a 62-year-old former Air Force fighter pilot and stunt flyer deemed so trustworthy he once carried the nuclear codes for President Ronald Reagan, and is a man who himself rescued a plane once from the kind of icing that might have been at work in Clarence.
Exclusive WBEN Audio: Clarence Officials' Briefing Feb. 19, 2008

Exclusive WBEN Audio: Kirsta Lynn Saborin, Lobbying ABC

Wielinski Family Wants Crash Site To Remain Untouched
Karen Wielinski, the widow who lost her husband when Flight 3407 crashed into her Clarence Center house has told town officials that she would rather not ever see another house built on the location where her husband died
Exclusive Audio: Gerri Pomponio, Flight 587 Widow

Exclusive WBEN Audio: Clarence Briefing, 8am Feb. 18

WEB EXTRA: A Crash Victim's Family

Exclusive WBEN Audio: Fr. Joseph Bayne, Fire Dept. Chaplain

EC Exec Chris Collins talks of Flight 3407

Web Extra: Tour the Clarence Memorial Site

Queens Crash Survivor Reaches Out To Clarence
Gerrie Pomponio was dragged back to 2001 in a flash this past week when she heard the news of Flight 3407, down in Clarence Center.

" I hear them say that this plane... crashed into this one single home, and how by the grace of God, it basically hit  just one home, with one person killed, a husband , and a mother and daughter fleeing the home, and all of a sudden I was overcome with tears."
Remains Removed From Crash Site
The Erie County Health Department's focus now shifts from the site of Flight 3407 to the county morgue. Crews have removed all remains and the task of identifying them is underway.

Exclusive WBEN Audio: Erie County Health Commissioner's Briefing, 12 noon, Feb.

Exclusive WBEN Audio: Clarence Briefing, 8am Feb. 17
WBEN Reporter Barbara Burns Describes Crash Scene On Buffalo's Early News

WBEN Extra: A Reporter's First Look At The Scene of The Crash of Flight 3407



Four days after they lost loved ones in the crash of Flight 3407, family members made an emotional visit to the scene Monday,  and placed red roses on the grund and on a makeshift fence surrounding the site.  Afterward, WBEN's Barbara Burns was selected as the only local radio reporter to tour the site.  Click above to see her pictures and commentary .

On The WBEN Liveline: NYS Police Captain Steve Nigrelli

On the WBEN Liveline: Dr. Joyce Sirianni - UB Anthropology Professor

Found Parts Could Reveal What Went Wrong in Crash
CLARENCE, N.Y. (AP) -- Investigators have located key components that might help reveal what the pilot did to try to save Flight 3407 during its final desperate seconds, when the plane plunged to the ground so suddenly that sending a mayday was impossible, an investigator said Monday.
WBEN Audio: Flight 3407 Community Prayer Service

NTSB: Crane Will Lift Engines, Families Visit Site Today
An investigator says a crane will lift the engines from the site of the Clarence Plane Crash today. Steve Chealander of the National Transportation Safety Board says the engines will be taken from the debris field on Monday, and families are likely to visit the site soon after.
Buffalo's Early News In-Depth: Flight Instructor & PIlot Bob Miller

On the WBEN Liveline: Aviation Injury Atty. Jim Kriendler

Dueling Fact Sheets On Icing from the NTSB and The FAA
In the day's immediately following the crash of Flight 3407 in Clarence Center,  both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety board issued advisories and fact sheets on icing, and how pilots should deal with it.
On the WBEN Liveline: NYS Police Capt. Steve Nigrelli

Exclusive WBEN Audio: Erie County's 8am Briefing, Feb. 16

Has the Media Gone Overboard? A WBEN Liveline with Lee Coppolla, St. Bona. Univ.

Information For Clarence Residents
A collection of links and other resources put forth by town officials, on any practical and emotional concerns residents may have.
Exclusive WBEN Audio: Kent Bath, Psychologist

Flight 3407 Rocked Like Roller Coaster, but Little Time For Panic

Pilots and experts say a sense of panic was likely setting in among passengers on the turboprop Continental commuter plane, but they probably did not have time to realize they were crashing.   "Just panic. They were feeling things they've never felt before, but it wouldn't have been: `We're going down. We're going down,'" said Skip Moshner, a pilot and instructor for the type of plane that crashed Thursday night in Clarence.

Crash Of Flight 3407: A Photo Album
Photos taken on the scene following the crash of Continental flight 3407 in Clarence, N.Y.
Former NTSB Chair Calls For Turboprop Ban in Icy Weather
A former chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board has called for authorities to ground all turboprop planes like the one that crashed last week in icy conditions, at least until the accident investigation is complete. But federal aviation officials insisted Sunday that the planes are just as safe in winter weather as any other aircraft.
Clarence Comes Together To Mourn
At Clarence United Methodist Church, they prayed - for the victims, for their families and for the small army of workers sifting through plane wreckage Sunday. Backed by a giant projector screen carrying the words "Prayer for all affected by Flight 3407," the Rev. David Kofahl urged his 70-member congregation at Sunday services to turn to God, taking solace in the Christian faith.
Exclusive WBEN Audio: Erie County Briefing, 6pm, Feb. 15

Exclusive WBEN Audio: NTSB Briefing, Feb. 15

Flight 3407 was on Autopilot Just Before Crash
The plane that crashed in Clarence Center was on autopilot until just before it went down in icy weather, a federal investigator said Sunday, indicating that the pilot may have been operating outside of federal reccomendations and the airplane manufacturer's policy against using the auto pilot in  "severe icy conditions". How icy it was remains unknown.

RELATED STORY: 
Former NTSB Chair Calls For Turboprop Grounding in Icy Weather
WBEN Online ExtraPhoto Coverage  
WBEN Online Extra:  Sunday Memorial Services
On The Liveline: Erie County Health Comm. Dr. Anthony Billitier, MD

Exclusive WBEN Audio: Clarence Briefing, 8am Feb 15

Plane Landed Flat, Facing Wrong Direction
CLARENCE, N.Y. -- An investigator says the plane that crashed on a house in New York state landed flat on it and was pointed away from the airport where it was supposed to land.  Steve Chealander said Saturday that Continental Connection Flight 3407 did not dive into the house, as initially thought.

WBEN Online ExtraPhoto Coverage
Chealander says the New Jersey-to-Buffalo flight was cleared to land on a runway pointing to the southwest. But the plane crashed with its nose pointed to the northeast.
Exclusive WBEN Audio: NTSB Update Saturday 4pm

Some Smaller Airlines' Pilots Have Less Experience
Law Enforcement Briefing, Saturday, 8am

Exclusive WBEN Audio: Steve Chealander, NTSB

Sabres Pay Tribute to Crash Victims
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- The Buffalo Sabres played the San Jose Sharks as scheduled Friday night, turning down an offer from the NHL to postpone the game a day after 50 people were killed when a commuter plane crashed into a house.
Exclusive WBEN Audio: Erie County Briefing, Feb. 13
Exclusive WBEN Audio: Gov. David Paterson
NTSB 4pm Briefing
Crew Saw Significant Ice Before Crash

CLARENCE, N.Y. (AP) -- A federal official says the crew of a commuter plane that crashed near Buffalo discussed "significant ice buildup" on the wings and windshield before the crash.

National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Steve Chealander (CHEE'-lan-duhr) also says the twin turboprop aircraft went through a "severe pitch and roll" after positioning its flaps for a landing.

Continental Connection Flight 3407 from Newark, N.J., was coming in for a landing when it went down in light snow and fog late Thursday. It was a few miles short of Buffalo-Niagara International Airport.

It crashed into a house. Forty-nine people aboard the plane and one person on the ground died.

Flight 3407: 12n Press Briefing

WBEN Exclusive: A Survivor Speaks
"You gain strength when you need to".  
The words of a woman who escaped the house that flight 3407 crashed into last night, killing 50, including her husband.

Karen Wielinski was watching television in her home on Long Street in Clarence Center.  It was shortly after 10 PM on what would otherwise be a typical Thursday night.

CLICK HERE  for our exlusive interview with Karen Wielinski.
VIDEO REPORT:  911 Widow Dies In Crash
Crew Identified/Mangione Musicians On Flight
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- The pilot of the plane that crashed near Buffalo had been with the airline for nearly 3 1/2 years and had more than 3,000 hours of flying experience with the carrier.
Capt. Marvin Renslow lived in a suburb of Tampa, Fla. A toy scooter lay Friday on the lawn of his home in Lutz (LOOTS). Neighbors say he had two children in elementary school.
9am Plane Crash Update Press Conference

CBS News Correspondant Cami McCormick

NYS Police Spokesperson Becky Gibbons

9/11 Widow Aboard Flight 3407
Beverly Eckert, one of the victims of Continental Flight 3407, was a Sept. 11 widow who put her never-ending grief to good use to make the country safer.
Obama Voices Condolences
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama has voiced condolences to the families of people lost in the crash of a commuter passenger jet in upstate New York.
In a statement released by the White House Friday morning, Obama said that "Michelle and I are deeply saddened to hear of the tragic accident outside of Buffalo."
On The WBEN Liveline: Dave Price - CBS Weatherman/Pilot

Flight 3407: Complete Tower Audio

On the WBEN Liveline: Erie County Exec. Chris Collins

On The WBEN Liveline: Air Gordon, WBEN Traffic Pilot

Flight 3407: Pat Casilio of Clarence

4am Crash Briefing

Governor Reacts To Crash
Governor David Paterson issued the following statement following the crash of Continental flight 3407.

“Earlier tonight, Continental Airlines Flight 3407, operated by Colgan Air Inc., crashed just miles outside of Buffalo Niagara International Airport after departing from Newark Liberty International Airport.
Update: 50 Die In Continental Crash In Clarence Center
 A commuter plane crashed into a Clarence home and erupted in flames late Thursday with initial reports that 48 people aboard and one person on the ground were killed.  CBS News is now reporting 50 are dead, 49 onboard and one on the ground.   Many of those killed are from the Buffalo area according to Erie County Executive Chris Collins.

The plane, flight 3407, crashed into a house on Long Street at approximately 10:20pm.  The plane had reportedly indicated it was having mechanical difficulty and the tower lost contact with it.

"The whole sky was lit up orange," said Bob Dworak, who lives less than a mile from the crash site. "All the sudden, there was a big bang, and the house shook."


WBEN Online Extras:                                                                
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Hear Complete 4am News Briefing
Click to View Latest VIDEO Report
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Click To Hear Plane/Tower Communications

Click For President Obama's Comments(VIDEO)
Click For National Coverage From AP
What is Icing?


The Clarence Town Hall is a media staging area for the recovery efforts.  A limited state of emergency has been declared in the town according to Erie County Executive Chris Collins.

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