Spanish mechanic who cleared doomed plane quizzed

August 23rd, 2008 05:00 AM - Police and investigators probing the deadly plane crash in Madrid have questioned the mechanic who cleared the plane for takeoff after tending to a minor mechanical problem, the airline said Saturday. Spanair said the mechanic dealt with a problem in an air temperature gauge that forced the pilot to abandon a first attempt to take off. <p>

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS
Click here to read the article... (http://www.suntimes.com/news/world/1123028,spainplane082308.article)

First, let me say I am not familiar with aircraft gauges or sensors, nor do I know how they interact with other mechanical features on these aircraft. That being said, when anything is designed, it is intended that all those elements work together, and are included for the safe operation of the aircraft. In reading this article and others, it seems that this gauge was trying to tell people that something was wrong, and by simply turning it off, doesn’t feel like the right answer here. In an automobile, we have sensors and gauges also, and when that little red or yellow light comes on, it does so for a reason, it is trying to tell you there is a problem. For instance if the Engine Hot warning light comes on we don’t simply stop the vehicle get out and turn off the sensor or gauge, we find out why the warning light has come on, we find the source that caused the warning light to come on, and correct it. We don’t just turn off or disengage the sensor or gauges. This Gauge thing like they say probably did not cuase the aircraft to crash, but the problem it was trying to warn someone of probably did, and they just disengages or turned it off and said the aircraft was ok. COMMON SENSE SAVS MORE LIVES, people should try it more often.