NTSB TO RELEASE FACTUAL REPORTS ON JULY 2002 TALLAHASSEE FEDEX CRASH INVESTIGATION

The National Transportation Safety Board will open the public docket of its investigation of the crash of FedEx flight 1478, a Boeing 727 (N497FE), at Tallahassee Regional Airport on July 26, 2002. The docket will be opened at 10:00 a.m., Friday, January 10.

The all-cargo aircraft crashed on approach to the airport during a flight from Memphis, Tennessee. The three crew members survived the accident, and the aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and post-crash fire.

The docket is approximately 900 pages long, and includes the factual reports from each of the NTSB’s investigative groups, including Operations, Flight Data Recorder, Air Traffic Control, Meteorology, Survival Factors, Structures, Aircraft Performance, Systems, Human Performance, Hazardous Materials and Powerplants. It will also include a transcript of the Cockpit Voice Recorder. No analysis of the information or determination of probable cause of the accident is included in the factual information.

The docket will be available on CD-ROM (paper copies may be ordered from the Board’s contractor, General Microfilm, Inc., at 301-929-8888. Identify accident as July 26, 2002, Tallahassee, Florida, DCA02MA054). Members of the news media should contact the NTSB’s Public Affairs Office to arrange receipt of the docket. Members of the general public may contact the Safety Board’s Public Inquiries Branch at (202) 314-6551.

A final report on the Board’s investigation will be released at a later date.