It's been almost three months since Flight 3407 crashed near Buffalo, NY. The images of the crash are still painful to look at, and it probably isn't any easier for families who lost loved ones. But today, they may be getting closer to getting some answers so they can start healing.

The NTSB begins holding hearings today in Washington DC on the crash that killed 49 people on board and one on the ground. One topic they're discussing: pilot error. Investigators want to know if the pilot could have prevented the crash. Colgan Air has said that Captain Renslow was never trained on the plane's stall warning system on a simulator, instead, he only had classroom instruction. Reports say when the plane was making the approach to Buffalo, the stick shaker activated, alerting pilots that they were going to slow and the plane was about to stall. As the stick pushed forward to dive the plane and pick up speed, the captain pulled up, exactly the opposite of what pilots are trained to do. On top of this, reports add that the captain had "unsatisfactory check rides." Investigators are also looking into the possibility that the plane's co-pilot was sick.
 

Ok, so you've heard the reports, and hopefully you'll follow the hearings. But how does it make you feel about flying?  When we step on board, we put our lives in the hands of the pilots and hope they are trained to handle every situation they are faced with. Maybe the hearings won't reveal the reasons weren't entirely pilot error, but just knowing some of the facts make me nervous. I used to be a great flyer, it just seems like lately my palms sweat each time the plane starts to takeoff or land, I'm sure it will get worse now.

As the NTSB holds hearings over the next few days, we'd like to hear what you think. I'll post updates here as they're released, and we'll of course follow it on Volunteer TV and on the homepage.

See you in the morning,

Allison