US: Safety officials want faster reporting of aviation incidents

Safety officials say a near collision of airliners in San Francisco last year was a few feet from becoming the worst crash in aviation history and underscores the need for faster reporting of dangerous incidents before evidence is lost. The NTB issued a final report Thursday on the incident in which an Air Canada jet nearly crashed into planes lined up on the ground at San Francisco International Airport. The pilots were slow to report the incident to superiors. By the time they did, the plane had made another flight and the cockpit voice recording of the close call was recorded over. The NTSB says the recording could have helped investigators understand why the Air Canada pilots missed the runway and were about to land on a taxiway where four other planes were idling before they aborted their landing. The NTSB did not allege that the pilots deliberately delayed reporting the incident, but it did say that investigators could have gained a better understanding of what the crew was doing before the close call. The NTSB is considering recommending that cockpit recorders capture the last 25 hours of flying time, up from two hours under current rules. Board member Weener also criticized the airline industry's reliance on self-reporting of safety issues, saying the industry and the FAA should consider stronger measures to intervene after a dangerous situation.<br/>