
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, May 29, 1993                   TAG: 9305290112
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: The Washington Post
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

3 FIRED AFTER PILOT SAT OUT LANDING

USAir Friday fired a pilot who allowed an off-duty flight attendant to occupy his cockpit seat during a March 4 landing at Philadelphia. The Federal Aviation Administration revoked the pilot's license.

The co-pilot, who flew Flight 528 from Tampa to Philadelphia, and the off-duty attendant also were fired.

The FAA said the pilot "operated his aircraft in a careless and reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another."

Landing is one of the most critical phases of flight because split-second decisions and actions can be necessary. If the co-pilot had become incapacitated, an obstruction appeared on the runway or a tire had blown on touchdown, the captain's ability to respond would have been impaired because he was not at the controls.

Manufacturer Boeing Co.'s statistics show that most crashes take place on takeoff or landing.

The FAA is still investigating and left open the possibility of federal action against the co-pilot and flight attendant.

A call to the FAA's confidential air safety hot line was reported to the airline, which began an investigation, USAir Chairman Seth E. Schofield said.

"Allowing an unauthorized person to occupy a pilot's seat during flight, even though the first officer was in control of the aircraft at all times, is a violation of company policy and FAA regulations," Schofield said.

FAA documents identified the pilot as Jon L. Swartzentruber of Schwenksville, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia. He had no listed phone number, and sources at the Air Line Pilots Association said he did not want to discuss the incident.

The co-pilot and flight attendant were not identified by the FAA or the airline.

According to the FAA's "emergency order of revocation," Swartzentruber allowed the off-duty attendant into the cockpit of the Boeing 737-400 because the passenger cabin was full. Allowing any unauthorized person in the cockpit is a rule violation, as is allowing non-crew members to sit in the cockpit jump seat.

The FAA said the pilot also allowed the flight attendant to "touch and rest her hands on the controls of the aircraft during the flight" when the autopilot was disengaged.

The flight attendant remained in the pilot's seat while the co-pilot landed the plane, the FAA said.

by CNB