Air traffic staffing eyed

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Two congressmen called for an investigation into the staffing at airport control towers after investigators said only one controller was on duty when Comair Flight 5191 crashed in Kentucky and that he had gotten just two hours of sleep between shifts.

The controller had just enough time between shifts Saturday to meet the federal requirement of eight hours off, said National Transportation Safety Board member Debbie Hersman.

“He advised our team that he got approximately two hours of sleep,” Miss Hersman said.

Early Sunday, he cleared Flight 5191 for takeoff, then turned away to do administrative work, Miss Hersman said. He didn’t see the plane turn down a runway too short for it, try to take off and then crash in flames that killed 49 of the 50 persons aboard.

Yesterday, as the investigation continued, hundreds of relatives of the victims gathered at the Lexington Opera House for a private memorial service. Also attending were some of the first emergency workers to reach the crash site, as well as family members of the only survivor, First Officer James Polehinke, who remained hospitalized in critical condition.

Much of the focus elsewhere was on the lone air traffic controller at Blue Grass Airport.

The controller, a 17-year veteran whose name has not been released, worked from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, then returned to work at 11:30 p.m. on the same day to begin an eight-hour overnight shift.

Federal rules since November 2005 have required two air traffic controllers on duty in towers, but aviation specialists say single staffing is still common at small regional airports.

In a letter dated Wednesday, Minnesota Rep. James L. Oberstar, the ranking Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Illinois Rep. Jerry F. Costello, ranking Democrat on the aviation subcommittee, asked the Transportation Department’s acting inspector general to investigate how well the rule is being followed.

“We’ll work with the congressmen to address the issues they raised,” said David Barnes, a spokesman for the inspector general.

Ken Spirito, director of a regional airport in Peoria, Ill., said late-night and early-morning shifts often have only one controller if someone calls in sick or is on vacation.

“The mandate that is issued by FAA is only as good as the staffing levels at that particular tower,” Mr. Spirito said.