Crossair in Swiss Court
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Crossair in Swiss Court
Wide coverage in German language Swiss media. Bottom-line: draconian medieval management, safety approach aiming at mere legal compliance but not an inch more, many incapable pilots tagging along.
Sample in English here: A Swiss federal prosecutor confirmed today that he will indict Moritz Suter, André Dosé and four former employees with management functions of the defunct regional airline Crossair for homicide by neglect in connection with the crash of an Avro RJ100 during approach on Zurich Airport on Nov. 24, 2001. The prosecutor announced plans to bring charges last November, but he identified the suspects only by their initials. The accident killed 24 occupants of the aircraft, including both pilots, and nine other people were badly hurt.
The air accident investigation bureau blamed the crash on the pilots, who were flying too low during a VOR-DME approach in low visibility. According to the prosecutor, Crossair founder Suter and later Dosé, his successor, maintained “a culture of fear” among their pilots, pressing them to infringe on safety rules rather than cause additional cost to the airline. For example, they recommended that pilots land in dangerously low visibility rather than divert to another airport, according to the charges. The prosecution will also contend that managers failed to recognize the shortcomings of the captain, who had several incidents without serious consequences on his record. The other four managers facing charges are the former operations manager, a human resources manager, the chief pilot and instructor and the RJ100 fleet chief.
(From Aviation International News, NJ)
Sample in English here: A Swiss federal prosecutor confirmed today that he will indict Moritz Suter, André Dosé and four former employees with management functions of the defunct regional airline Crossair for homicide by neglect in connection with the crash of an Avro RJ100 during approach on Zurich Airport on Nov. 24, 2001. The prosecutor announced plans to bring charges last November, but he identified the suspects only by their initials. The accident killed 24 occupants of the aircraft, including both pilots, and nine other people were badly hurt.
The air accident investigation bureau blamed the crash on the pilots, who were flying too low during a VOR-DME approach in low visibility. According to the prosecutor, Crossair founder Suter and later Dosé, his successor, maintained “a culture of fear” among their pilots, pressing them to infringe on safety rules rather than cause additional cost to the airline. For example, they recommended that pilots land in dangerously low visibility rather than divert to another airport, according to the charges. The prosecution will also contend that managers failed to recognize the shortcomings of the captain, who had several incidents without serious consequences on his record. The other four managers facing charges are the former operations manager, a human resources manager, the chief pilot and instructor and the RJ100 fleet chief.
(From Aviation International News, NJ)
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Ha!
pointing the Finger at management? I can barely believe it! I hope this is the beginning of a trend all pilots would like to see continued!
Crossing my fingers,
OORW
Crossing my fingers,
OORW
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what makes you believe that management doesn't have the responsability over their employees? For you maybe management means CEO and COO. Management also means CFI and CFO.
Dani
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Suter had a great many good points and was awarded by the European regional airlines association many years ago for his efforts with Crossair; I also remember that he went on record with the statement that "it is time we stopped treating pilots like prima donnas". I began to wonder about the guy.
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Suter was (in retrospect)the biggest charlatan in European aviation and probably the worst CEO. He never earned the capital costs with his Crossair, and with the exception of one year always lost money on the ops profit line. However he had a bunch of always applauding journalists to constantly polish his big ego.
He boasted that he paid the lowest wages in the industry ( entry FO's who paid their own training were paid 3.500 CHF = approx 2000 € /mth ). Needless to say that at a certain period most of his pilots were from Eastern Europe with questionable English skills, which led to the Saab 200 crash at Nassenwil due to lack of communication in the cockpit. He was cited that he would find pilots which would fly for free sandwiches en route. He made sure that he surrounded himself always with Yesmen, André Dosé is a prime example.
Time for the justice to pierce through the veil and bring out the truth that Moritz Suter's ego was always higher than safe flight ops.
I am sure that the court will find out this truth, but I doubt that he will be sentenced.
Frank
He boasted that he paid the lowest wages in the industry ( entry FO's who paid their own training were paid 3.500 CHF = approx 2000 € /mth ). Needless to say that at a certain period most of his pilots were from Eastern Europe with questionable English skills, which led to the Saab 200 crash at Nassenwil due to lack of communication in the cockpit. He was cited that he would find pilots which would fly for free sandwiches en route. He made sure that he surrounded himself always with Yesmen, André Dosé is a prime example.
Time for the justice to pierce through the veil and bring out the truth that Moritz Suter's ego was always higher than safe flight ops.
I am sure that the court will find out this truth, but I doubt that he will be sentenced.
Frank
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well, well, not being a friend of Suter's, but your facts are pretty wrong.
It was a SF34 not a Saab 200 in Nasenwil, the later doesn't exist anyway.
Suter's Crx made about 100 Mio profit every year in his best times, and that was already after giving back the goodies to his friends and Swissair.
About your opinion I can't say anything against. Only that I'm not sure that the court can proof unvoluntary manslaughter.
Pineridge, the European Regional Association was bascially an invention of Suter himself. No wonder he got that award so many times. But I agree, in his time he definetly was a pioneer.
Dani
It was a SF34 not a Saab 200 in Nasenwil, the later doesn't exist anyway.
Suter's Crx made about 100 Mio profit every year in his best times, and that was already after giving back the goodies to his friends and Swissair.
About your opinion I can't say anything against. Only that I'm not sure that the court can proof unvoluntary manslaughter.
Pineridge, the European Regional Association was bascially an invention of Suter himself. No wonder he got that award so many times. But I agree, in his time he definetly was a pioneer.
Dani
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What have Swiss done to prevent something similar from happening again since the accident? Because i work at london city and there the only guys that land when we have a bad cross wind or fog (with exception to the VLM's of course, they are mad men)
According to the prosecutor, Mr. Suter said that a Crossair captain must be able to lie when necessary 
He claims he´s innocent of the charges. I wonder if he´s lying?
Read all about it:
http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/front/C...80685000&ty=st
He claims he´s innocent of the charges. I wonder if he´s lying?
Read all about it:
http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/front/C...80685000&ty=st
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Hi,
just for the story, when I was undergoing the interview and tests 12 years ago..I remember the guy saying to me,
"During calm periods, you (as pilot) could be required to give some help to the check-in desk or other operationnal ground duties..."
Hoppefully, I was seated..looking with a
to the financial pacquage proposed...
My answer was,...ok , I will not waste your time anylonguer, ...It was a pleasure...Bye, Bye
just for the story, when I was undergoing the interview and tests 12 years ago..I remember the guy saying to me,
"During calm periods, you (as pilot) could be required to give some help to the check-in desk or other operationnal ground duties..."
Hoppefully, I was seated..looking with a
to the financial pacquage proposed...My answer was,...ok , I will not waste your time anylonguer, ...It was a pleasure...Bye, Bye
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pointing the Finger at management?
what makes you believe that management doesn't have the responsability over their employees? For you maybe management means CEO and COO. Management also means CFI and CFO.
Good grief.... this wreaks of....... ACCOUNTABILITY!!!!!!
About bloody time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
About bloody time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But as dani points out, accountability exists at every level. Can we who call for accountability of management claim a perfect record? We all have to play our role.....
Having said all that, if the comments here about Suter are true he set a very poor lead!
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Don't know if it's relevant but one of those two mentioned was just tossed out of a flight dept in the ME (Royal family op) for lying about his flight time and type rating (B744) and for having a court date (Cross Air accident) and forgetting to mention it during his interview. He actually had the job in his hands but the boss did a little checking and caught they guy out...Something about the leopard and his spots?
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From http://www.ainonline.com/news/single...in-indictments
Prosecution names Suter, Dosé in Indictments
By Thomas Stocker
April 28, 2008
A Swiss federal prosecutor confirmed today that he will indict Moritz Suter, André Dosé and four former employees with management functions of the defunct regional airline Crossair for homicide by neglect in connection with the crash of an Avro RJ100 during approach on Zurich Airport on Nov. 24, 2001. The prosecutor announced plans to bring charges last November, but he identified the suspects only by their initials. The accident killed 24 occupants of the aircraft, including both pilots, and nine other people were badly hurt.
The air accident investigation bureau blamed the crash on the pilots, who were flying too low during a VOR-DME approach in low visibility. According to the prosecutor, Crossair founder Suter and later Dosé, his successor, maintained “a culture of fear” among their pilots, pressing them to infringe on safety rules rather than cause additional cost to the airline. For example, they recommended that pilots land in dangerously low visibility rather than divert to another airport, according to the charges. The prosecution will also contend that managers failed to recognize the shortcomings of the captain, who had several incidents without serious consequences on his record. The other four managers facing charges are the former operations manager, a human resources manager, the chief pilot and instructor and the RJ100 fleet chief.
The trial is due to start October 5 and should last about two weeks.
Prosecution names Suter, Dosé in Indictments
By Thomas Stocker
April 28, 2008
A Swiss federal prosecutor confirmed today that he will indict Moritz Suter, André Dosé and four former employees with management functions of the defunct regional airline Crossair for homicide by neglect in connection with the crash of an Avro RJ100 during approach on Zurich Airport on Nov. 24, 2001. The prosecutor announced plans to bring charges last November, but he identified the suspects only by their initials. The accident killed 24 occupants of the aircraft, including both pilots, and nine other people were badly hurt.
The air accident investigation bureau blamed the crash on the pilots, who were flying too low during a VOR-DME approach in low visibility. According to the prosecutor, Crossair founder Suter and later Dosé, his successor, maintained “a culture of fear” among their pilots, pressing them to infringe on safety rules rather than cause additional cost to the airline. For example, they recommended that pilots land in dangerously low visibility rather than divert to another airport, according to the charges. The prosecution will also contend that managers failed to recognize the shortcomings of the captain, who had several incidents without serious consequences on his record. The other four managers facing charges are the former operations manager, a human resources manager, the chief pilot and instructor and the RJ100 fleet chief.
The trial is due to start October 5 and should last about two weeks.
