Did this article say anything about Chris Sifford's settlement, the "long time aide to Carnahan?" I'm shouting here. Anyone?No, and as someone who was lucky enough to know Chris, I'm wondering if his life was deemed worthless. Pity, that.
Chris Sifford was slightly mentioned in this other article;
Jury orders $4M payment in Carnahan case
http://kansascity.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2004/01/12/daily61.html
snip-
"Randy Carnahan was piloting the Cessna 335 that crashed on Oct. 16, 2000, in southeast Missouri, killing himself, his father and an aide, Chris Sifford."
more snip-
" Family members blamed the crash on a pair of Parker Hannifin vacuum pumps, which they said failed and killed power to several key navigational instruments. In radio transmissions with air traffic controllers in St. Louis, Randy Carnahan reported a malfunctioning primary altitude indicator, or artificial horizon, which is powered by the pumps."
Can any of our pilots help me pout on this one? I thought most planes have a back up indicator that isn't powered by pumps. Correct me if I'm wrong.
snippy about it-"
The company has argued that there was no evidence of its pumps failing in Carnahan's plane, relying on a report from the National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB said in its investigation that the pumps probably were operating at the time of the crash.
Sounds like pilot error was not an option in this case.
Rond, I am sorry for Chris, but I also know the political game. If a politican falters, an often they do, it is never their fault, but that of a chosen member of their staff, who is expected to take the fall for them. Disgusting? Yes.
There is no other profession on earth with the promise of riches promised and received by elected officials.