This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/14/world/asia/us-takes-back-seat-in-malaysia-jet-inquiry.html
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| U.S. Takes Back Seat in Malaysia Jet Inquiry | U.S. Takes Back Seat in Malaysia Jet Inquiry |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| WASHINGTON — The best information about Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 is probably in the hands of American officials sent to assist in the investigation. But they will say nothing. | WASHINGTON — The best information about Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 is probably in the hands of American officials sent to assist in the investigation. But they will say nothing. |
| In an odd twist, some of the world’s foremost experts on crash investigations, radar and the inner workings of the Boeing 777 are in Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital — but technically only to assist the Malaysian government, and they are being scrupulously low-key. If a similar event happened in the United States, they would be gathering information from different parties and knitting it together into a progress report. But in the Malaysian case, at least so far, the Americans do not appear to have played any such role, and information is dribbling out, sometimes in contradictory fashion, from the government, the airline and the military. | In an odd twist, some of the world’s foremost experts on crash investigations, radar and the inner workings of the Boeing 777 are in Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital — but technically only to assist the Malaysian government, and they are being scrupulously low-key. If a similar event happened in the United States, they would be gathering information from different parties and knitting it together into a progress report. But in the Malaysian case, at least so far, the Americans do not appear to have played any such role, and information is dribbling out, sometimes in contradictory fashion, from the government, the airline and the military. |
| By international agreement, the country in charge of investigating a plane crash or other such event is the one where it occurred. If a plane comes down in international waters, jurisdiction goes to the country whose carrier was involved. In this mystery, the presumption is that the problem is Malaysia’s. But whoever is officially responsible, there is a guiding American principle. | |
| “We try very hard not to make it look like we are running the investigation, even if we more or less are,” said Bernard Loeb, a former head of aviation safety at the National Transportation Safety Board, which leads the American delegation of experts at any crash involving an American airline or an airplane built in the United States. When crashes occur here, foreign aircraft or engine manufacturers like Airbus or Rolls-Royce get the same “observer” status and often contribute technical expertise. | “We try very hard not to make it look like we are running the investigation, even if we more or less are,” said Bernard Loeb, a former head of aviation safety at the National Transportation Safety Board, which leads the American delegation of experts at any crash involving an American airline or an airplane built in the United States. When crashes occur here, foreign aircraft or engine manufacturers like Airbus or Rolls-Royce get the same “observer” status and often contribute technical expertise. |
| In practice, although it varies by country, the inquiry is often an American show. | In practice, although it varies by country, the inquiry is often an American show. |
| “Most of the local guys are pretty darned good,” said Thomas Haueter, another former chief of air safety. “The problem they have is, they don’t do it a lot. We do this a lot.” | “Most of the local guys are pretty darned good,” said Thomas Haueter, another former chief of air safety. “The problem they have is, they don’t do it a lot. We do this a lot.” |
| Mr. Haueter said that depending on the circumstances of the crash, the United States would show up with investigators from the safety board, the Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing and General Electric. Sometimes, he said, there is “this huge army of Americans showing up,” and when they meet with local aviation safety authorities, “there’s only two of them.” | Mr. Haueter said that depending on the circumstances of the crash, the United States would show up with investigators from the safety board, the Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing and General Electric. Sometimes, he said, there is “this huge army of Americans showing up,” and when they meet with local aviation safety authorities, “there’s only two of them.” |
| “We’re aware of that,” he said. “We always have to tone it down.” | “We’re aware of that,” he said. “We always have to tone it down.” |
| The main goal for American investigators is to determine whether there is a flaw in the hardware, maintenance practices or operations of an American-built jetliner that could cause another one to crash. But they often confront conflicting agendas. If the crash involved a government-owned airline or government-provided air traffic services, or if there was possible misconduct by a pilot from the host country, some parties may try to shift blame. (The same thing happens in the United States among airlines, plane manufacturers and even the F.A.A., but the safety board is known for being independent, dispassionate and merciless in seeking to determine causes.) | The main goal for American investigators is to determine whether there is a flaw in the hardware, maintenance practices or operations of an American-built jetliner that could cause another one to crash. But they often confront conflicting agendas. If the crash involved a government-owned airline or government-provided air traffic services, or if there was possible misconduct by a pilot from the host country, some parties may try to shift blame. (The same thing happens in the United States among airlines, plane manufacturers and even the F.A.A., but the safety board is known for being independent, dispassionate and merciless in seeking to determine causes.) |
| In the Malaysian case, the safety board has sent its senior radar expert, who is a former air traffic controller and a veteran of many inquiries, including investigations of near-misses and of an air traffic controller who fell asleep in the tower at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington. Outside experts say the investigator, Scott Dunham, may be the single best person to make sense out of the limited civilian radar data and the route captured by military radar that may or may not show the missing aircraft. | In the Malaysian case, the safety board has sent its senior radar expert, who is a former air traffic controller and a veteran of many inquiries, including investigations of near-misses and of an air traffic controller who fell asleep in the tower at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington. Outside experts say the investigator, Scott Dunham, may be the single best person to make sense out of the limited civilian radar data and the route captured by military radar that may or may not show the missing aircraft. |
| After its usual announcement that it was sending a team to assist the local authorities, the safety board was bombarded with questions. So it took the unusual step of issuing a second news release, emphasizing that the Malaysian authorities were leading the investigation, that American investigators were “providing technical assistance” and that it had no plans to comment further. | After its usual announcement that it was sending a team to assist the local authorities, the safety board was bombarded with questions. So it took the unusual step of issuing a second news release, emphasizing that the Malaysian authorities were leading the investigation, that American investigators were “providing technical assistance” and that it had no plans to comment further. |
| The F.A.A. is also in Malaysia as part of a delegation led by the safety board. “The F.A.A. is going to be dead silent, because the N.T.S.B. is so careful about controlling information,” said Steven B. Wallace, a former head of the aviation administration’s office of accident investigation. | The F.A.A. is also in Malaysia as part of a delegation led by the safety board. “The F.A.A. is going to be dead silent, because the N.T.S.B. is so careful about controlling information,” said Steven B. Wallace, a former head of the aviation administration’s office of accident investigation. |
| In some previous cases, the safety board appears to have played a behind-the-scenes role in assembling and disseminating information, always over the signature of a local official. Ted Lopatkiewicz, who was the board’s chief spokesman from 1997 to 2011, said those announcements took a standard form: “The government of blah blah blah has asked that we disseminate the following ...” Sometimes the board drafted the announcements, he said, and sometimes it cautioned against releasing certain information, but it never released anything without the consent of the country in charge. | In some previous cases, the safety board appears to have played a behind-the-scenes role in assembling and disseminating information, always over the signature of a local official. Ted Lopatkiewicz, who was the board’s chief spokesman from 1997 to 2011, said those announcements took a standard form: “The government of blah blah blah has asked that we disseminate the following ...” Sometimes the board drafted the announcements, he said, and sometimes it cautioned against releasing certain information, but it never released anything without the consent of the country in charge. |
| The board sends investigators to the scenes of remote crashes many times a year. Sometimes the accident is of more interest to the United States than to the country where it occurred — for example, the crashes of American-flagged cargo planes in Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia, or of an American Airlines flight from Miami to Cali, Colombia. | The board sends investigators to the scenes of remote crashes many times a year. Sometimes the accident is of more interest to the United States than to the country where it occurred — for example, the crashes of American-flagged cargo planes in Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia, or of an American Airlines flight from Miami to Cali, Colombia. |
| But many foreign governments do not feel themselves as obligated as American agencies do to tell the public what they know. And the safety board’s practice is to be seen to abide scrupulously by the international agreements that give it access to such investigations. | But many foreign governments do not feel themselves as obligated as American agencies do to tell the public what they know. And the safety board’s practice is to be seen to abide scrupulously by the international agreements that give it access to such investigations. |
| “The N.T.S.B. wants to be as supportive as possible and not ruffle feathers,” said Peter Goelz, a former managing director of the agency. | “The N.T.S.B. wants to be as supportive as possible and not ruffle feathers,” said Peter Goelz, a former managing director of the agency. |