July 17, 2007





Mark V. Rosenker

Chairman, NTSB

490 L'Enfant Plaza, SW

Washington, D.C. 20594

Telephone (202) 314-6000



Chairman Rosenker,



My name is James Bergquist, former USAF and FAA air traffic

controller, and former head of our union, NATCA, in San Diego.



I have posted several articles on many aviation bulletin boards about

the crash of Comair flight 5191 on August 27, 2006. I have also

contacted many family members and their attorneys, the Delta safety

department, Congressman Ben Chandler's office, and the Lexington

press about my allegations about the accident.



I read a press release on the NTSB website at...



http://www.ntsb.gov/pressrel/2006/060925.htm



Under the paragraph titled air traffic control, a lot of false

information is listed...



Air Traffic Control



At the time of the accident, there was one air traffic controller in

the tower. After handling several aircraft at the beginning of his

shift, there were several hours without aircraft movements. In the 20

minutes leading up to the accident, there were three departures,

including Comair 5191, from LEX under his control. The ATC group has

interviewed several Lexington control tower personnel and FAA air

traffic personnel. The controller on duty at the time of the accident

relayed the following information to investigators: he cleared the

accident flight crew to take off (from runway 22) and to fly runway

heading (220 degrees); after providing takeoff clearance for flight

5191, he turned away from the window to perform an administrative

task (traffic count); he did not witness the accident, but heard the

crash, turned around and saw fire, and immediately activated the

emergency response. As in all investigations, the group will review

the controller's workload and duty schedule and the tower staffing

level.





When I downloaded the FAA ATC tapes, I discovered that the controller

wasn't doing traffic count after he cleared the stricken aircraft for

takeoff but immediately diverted his attention to a previous

departure and was performing approach control duties while Comair was

rolling down the wrong runway. Traffic count could not have been a

factor in this accident.





Additionally, there is another item that the NTSB overlooked. You are

telling us that the controller "immediately activated the emergency

response". But the FAA tapes show something completely different. The

FAA tapes show that there was well over a two minute delay after the

crash before the controller pulled the crash phone. That is a huge

error for the NTSB to make even in the preliminary stages of an

accident investigation.





I cannot understand how the NTSB would think that they can hoodwink

the public with this lie on one hand and let the FAA provide the

public with the tapes that clearly show that it is all a lie on the

other.





Although I am an aviation professional and not a layman, even the

layman can download those tapes and figure out the truth about what

happened that morning.





Here is a link to the articles I posted on the Delta Airlines section

of the U S Aviation Bulletin Board...





http://www.usaviation.com/forums/index.php?

showtopic=33299&hl=chickenlittle92071





and an open letter to Congressman Ben Chandler's office...





http://www.usaviation.com/forums/index.php?

showtopic=33302&hl=chickenlittle92071





I would like to talk with you further about the NTSB's investigation

of this accident. Please respond via email and give me a phone number

to contact you.





Best Regards,





James Bergquist



Air Safety Activist



chickenlittle92071@...

Those correct links are...











http://www.usaviation.com/forums/index.php?

showtopic=33299&hl=chickenlittle92071





and an open letter to Congressman Ben Chandler's office...





http://www.usaviation.com/forums/index.php?

showtopic=33302&hl=chickenlittle92071















--- In sr111@yahoogroups.com, "chickenlittle92071"

<chickenlittle92071@...> wrote:

>

> July 17, 2007

>

>

> Mark V. Rosenker

> Chairman, NTSB

> 490 L'Enfant Plaza, SW

> Washington, D.C. 20594

> Telephone (202) 314-6000

>

> Chairman Rosenker,

>

> My name is James Bergquist, former USAF and FAA air traffic

> controller, and former head of our union, NATCA, in San Diego.

>

> I have posted several articles on many aviation bulletin boards

about

> the crash of Comair flight 5191 on August 27, 2006. I have also

> contacted many family members and their attorneys, the Delta safety

> department, Congressman Ben Chandler's office, and the Lexington

> press about my allegations about the accident.

>

> I read a press release on the NTSB website at...

>

> http://www.ntsb.gov/pressrel/2006/060925.htm

>

> Under the paragraph titled air traffic control, a lot of false

> information is listed...

>

> Air Traffic Control

>

> At the time of the accident, there was one air traffic controller

in

> the tower. After handling several aircraft at the beginning of his

> shift, there were several hours without aircraft movements. In the

20

> minutes leading up to the accident, there were three departures,

> including Comair 5191, from LEX under his control. The ATC group

has

> interviewed several Lexington control tower personnel and FAA air

> traffic personnel. The controller on duty at the time of the

accident

> relayed the following information to investigators: he cleared the

> accident flight crew to take off (from runway 22) and to fly runway

> heading (220 degrees); after providing takeoff clearance for flight

> 5191, he turned away from the window to perform an administrative

> task (traffic count); he did not witness the accident, but heard

the

> crash, turned around and saw fire, and immediately activated the

> emergency response. As in all investigations, the group will review

> the controller's workload and duty schedule and the tower staffing

> level.

>

>

> When I downloaded the FAA ATC tapes, I discovered that the

controller

> wasn't doing traffic count after he cleared the stricken aircraft

for

> takeoff but immediately diverted his attention to a previous

> departure and was performing approach control duties while Comair

was

> rolling down the wrong runway. Traffic count could not have been a

> factor in this accident.

>

>

> Additionally, there is another item that the NTSB overlooked. You

are

> telling us that the controller "immediately activated the emergency

> response". But the FAA tapes show something completely different.

The

> FAA tapes show that there was well over a two minute delay after

the

> crash before the controller pulled the crash phone. That is a huge

> error for the NTSB to make even in the preliminary stages of an

> accident investigation.

>

>

> I cannot understand how the NTSB would think that they can hoodwink

> the public with this lie on one hand and let the FAA provide the

> public with the tapes that clearly show that it is all a lie on the

> other.

>

>

> Although I am an aviation professional and not a layman, even the

> layman can download those tapes and figure out the truth about what

> happened that morning.

>

>

> Here is a link to the articles I posted on the Delta Airlines

section

> of the U S Aviation Bulletin Board...

>

>

> http://www.usaviation.com/forums/index.php?

> showtopic=33299&hl=chickenlittle92071

>

>

> and an open letter to Congressman Ben Chandler's office...

>

>

> http://www.usaviation.com/forums/index.php?

> showtopic=33302&hl=chickenlittle92071

>

>

> I would like to talk with you further about the NTSB's

investigation

> of this accident. Please respond via email and give me a phone

number

> to contact you.

>

>

> Best Regards,

>

>

> James Bergquist

>

> Air Safety Activist

>

> chickenlittle92071@...

>