Pratter believes ice on the plane's wings is the deadly factor. "Everything that it looked like is that stalled, and that it nosedived.
But it was fast, that's the only merciful thing it was probably very quick." He showed us on a pilot's map just how close Continental flight 3407 was to Buffalo's airport before it went down. "They were on their way into this runway, just a few miles away."
Pratter has flown the same Q400 aircraft that went down and says it has a proven record of safely handling difficult weather conditions. "Something must have gone wrong with the de-icing system. All piloting involves decision making. There either was a decision that wasn't made that should have been made or there was a mechanical factor."
There are at least two crash victims with California ties. 28 year old Joseph Zuffoletto was a San Diego high school graduate. The off-duty pilot had just been promoted to captain. 62 year old Clay Yarber of Riverside was a Vietnam veteran who recently moved to southern California to help his son with his music career. Pratter said, "I can't imagine what the families are going through."
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