Emergency locator transmitter failure causes NTSB concern
January 18, 2011, 05:05 pm
The discovery that the emergency locator transmitter snapped during a fatal general aviation accident that killed the pilot and four other passengers - including Senator Ted Stevens - last fall has the National Transportation Safety Board concerned that it could potentially do the same in future accidents.
The NTSB believes that the other four badly injured, but surviving passengers were endangered because the ELT, which is triggered in the event of a crash, had been severed by the accident. Even though the transmission had been triggered, the antenna of the device had been separated from its mounting tray, so the signal could not be broadcast. Without access to satellite signals, it took paramedics five hours to find the location of the crash.
In light of this discovery, the NTSB released a statement encouraging the Federal Aviation Administration to require an immediate check of all ELTs on current General Aviation planes to ensure they are correctly mounted. They are also considering launching an investigation to determine if the current federal ELT mounting guidelines need to be improved.
This situation is a reminder that even the best safety precautions are not always reliable and pilots should consider pilot insurance so they can be prepared in the event of a fatal accident.
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