The statement came in response to a Newsday story that claimed the FAA’s probe into the accident is “looking into whether the parachute was packed properly and deployed correctly,” citing an unnamed FAA official.
“This statement is untrue,” Skydive Long Island said in a statement. “The FAA inspected the gear and shortly thereafter released the gear to Skydive Long Island with no restrictions on further use.”
An FAA official told the News-Review Saturday the accident is still under investigation. The official said the FAA does not release information on an accident investigation until it is completed. It is unclear when the FAA investigation will be complete.
Skydive Long Island owner Ray Maynard told the News-Review Saturday that the FAA said it is not investigating the parachute pack as a cause for the accident.
Two days after the incident, the national director of the United States Parachute Association said his investigation concluded the accident was caused by a “dust devil,” a mini-tornado that collapsed the parachute, sending the jumpers into a free fall somewhere between 75 and 150 feet above the ground. The FAA’s investigation is separate from the one done by Richard Winstock, the national director.
A dispute emerged shortly after the accident when the Occupational Safety and Health Administration sent a compliance officer to investigate. OSHA routinely inspects workplace accidents to determine whether there were any violations of occupational safety or health standards.
The compliance officer visited the site July 31, one day after the accident. The following day, an attorney for Skydive Long Island, Saul Zabell, informed the officer that OSHA was no longer permitted to access the site or interview employees, according to online court documents.
A brief court battle ensued, as OSHA attempted to regain its right to investigate the accident. Skydive Long Island claimed the FAA held jurisdiction in the accident investigation. On Friday, OSHA, which operates under the U.S. Labor Department, agreed to that and withdrew its Application for Inspection Warrant with the Eastern District Court.
Mr. Maynard reiterated Saturday that the FAA has jurisdiction into the accident, which prompted him to stall OSHA.
The accident claimed the life of Gary Messina, a 25-year-old New York City correction officer. The instructor, 28-year-old Christopher Scott of Sound Beach, was critically injured in the accident. It was the first fatal accident in a tandem jump at Skydive Long Island, though a death was reported at the company’s East Moriches location in 1989.
- Source: http://riverheadnewsreview.timesreview.com
(July 31, 1988 - July 30, 2014)
http://www.meaningfulfunerals.net
(Credit: Grant Parpan)
Investigators at the scene of a fatal skydiving accident at Skydive Long Island in Calverton, New York.
(Credit: Grant Parpan)
The plane is taxied back to its hangar.
(Credit: Jennifer Gustavson)
(Credit: Jennifer Gustavson)
When FAA and OSHA Comes Knocking ...
ReplyDeleteIt’s best to be open with OSHA and FAA.
Don’t discourage employees from talking to OSHA or FAA. OSHA and FAA will talk to them one way or another. OSHA and FAA find ways to slip employees their business card, and once they do, the employees usually call. If necessary, OSHA and FAA will get a subpoena to talk to your employees.
Don’t lie to OSHA or FAA. That makes them very angry.
Think about hazards, not just standards, when you evaluate your workplace for safety. OSHA and FAA look for hazards, not standard violations.
Have your training documents in order. OSHA and FAA do look at them.
If you have Hispanic employees, make sure you have documentation that they understood your safety training.
Plan ahead and designate a person or people who will meet with OSHA and FAA. Make sure the person is prepared.
It doesn’t matter to OSHA or FAA whether you have a full-time safety manager or not. That doesn’t make OSHA or FAA any tougher or easier on a company.
Do not argue. You should utilize your time with the OSHA and FAA inspectors to explain your position and to ask for input.
Take careful notes during the inspector’s visit. The information gathered during the meeting is what will be used to support resulting citations, if any. The photos of the skydiving business owner speaking to inspectors shows him without legal pad in hand... always, always take notes. What they said .... Write it down!
Don’t ignore the importance of FAA and OSHA inspections. If your head is buried in the sand, guess what is sticking up in the air.
Pay careful attention during the closing conference meeting ... this is extremely important!