Tapes raise questions about Jan. 1 plane crash

[TexasStooge]

Minutes before crashing into N. Dallas neighborhood, pilot took off from Addison Airport despite poor conditions

By DAN RONAN / WFAA-TV

News 8 Exclusive

There is new information about a New Year's Day plane crash that sent shockwaves through a North Dallas neighborhood.

Federal Aviation Administration audio and radar tapes raise new questions about how air traffic controllers handled the emergency, and if pilot Dr. David Knowles should have even taken off on a flight to Amarillo.

It's not clear if the controller could have saved the two men, but experts who heard the tapes said the controller missed signs the flight was in serious trouble.

Knowles took off Jan. 1 in conditions that would challenge the best pilots: very low ceilings and poor visibility. Knowles was an experienced private pilot with an instrument rating, but FAA documents and recordings obtained by News 8 show that for four minutes, Knowles' flight was far off course. His air speed and heading - key indicators how well he was controlling the plane - varied widely. The controller, however, apparently never recognized this.

The conversations were routine, until this transmission:

"Bellanca 0-4-Bravo, turn right heading 270," the controller radioed.

"Right, heading 2-7-0," Knowles replied. "Uh, my gyro is out ... gone out, so I am on partial panels."

"Alright, it looks like you're making a left turn," the controller said. "Turn right, Bellanca 0-4-Bravo."

"Roger, right to 2-40-0," the pilot said.

Generally, partial panel means at least two of the plane's six primary instruments failed. Pilots train to fly "partial panel," but aviation experts said in instrument conditions flying "partial panel" is an emergency situation.

"(If) any controller hears the phrase 'partial panel,' that should immediately alert the controller to pay specific attention to that aircraft," said John Nance, an aviation analyst for ABC News.

Instead of talking to the pilot, however, the Addison controller called Love Field, since the plane was flying in that direction.

"Love, north, south, everything over here," the Addison controller radioed.

"Yes, sir, Love Tower," the Love Field controller replied.

"That Bellanca 4-1-0-4-Bravo out to the north ... I think he's disoriented," said the Addison controller. "He's doing left turns, instead of right turns like he's supposed to do."

"OK, all right ... all right," the Love Field controller replied.

"The controller should have, number one, asked him if he needed to declare an emergency or if he needed assistance," said Dallas aviation consultant Denny Kelly. "He doesn't do that."

Sources said the pilot also had smoke in the cockpit, but the controller was unaware of that because Knowles was trying to keep the plane flying and was not communicating. Again, the controller issued routine instructions.

"Bellanca 0-4-Bravo, turn right heading 2-7-0," the controller said. "Can you do that, OK?"

Six and a half minutes after takeoff, the plane crashed into two North Dallas homes, starting a huge fire. Knowles and passenger David Moore were killed on impact.

"Bellanca 4-1-0-4-Bravo departure ...," the Addison controller said. " Love, North, South, everything ... stop your departures here ..."

The experts said the controller may have missed several critical signals, but Knowles should have waited for the weather to lift.

"This particular pilot was having enough trouble that even if the controller had instantly been up and running with the idea this phrase 'partial panel' meant he had to pay particular attention, he would have probably not been able to save the day," Nance said.

FAA officials said the agency has investigated the crash, adding this controller was experienced. They said the veteran controller acted "professionally and responsibly." Additionally, they declined News 8's request to speak to the controller.

The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to issue its report on the crash this summer.