Editorial: Air safety losing public confidence

Friday, July 19, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

AS we struggle with the shock and grief of yet another air disaster, it's easy to jump to conclusions about terrorism or negligent maintenance in the aviation industry.

Neither cause may be related to the explosion and crash that killed 229 people near Long Island, N.Y. At this time, no one knows what happened. Only scraps of evidence have been found in the ocean and there were few witnesses.

But that hasn't stopped the media -- driven by competition pressures -- from parading experts who speculate on why the plane went down 15 minutes after takeoff. The guesswork points to a terrorist bomb. After all, the Boeing 747 had just arrived from Athens -- notorious for poor security -- before it departed New York City for Paris. And tensions are high over terrorism at the Atlanta Olympic Games, which start today.

But a meticulous investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board -- not the media -- will uncover the proof. The NTSB's staff is well known for its attention to detail and will pull out all stops to find what led to the catastrophe.

Americans must give the NTSB time to do its job, free from as much political pressure as possible. Unfortunately, that won't be easy. It was just two months ago that a ValuJet DC-9 went down in flames shortly after takeoff from Miami, killing 110 people. The NTSB and the Federal Aviation Administration were criticized for winking at ValuJet's lax safety procedures months before the crash.

TWA had financial problems in recent years, but maintained an excellent safety record. Its last fatal crash was in 1974. Flight 800 had two crews on board, including two captains with thousands of hours of flying experience. These crews should have been able to handle all but the most catastrophic in-flight emergencies.

Whatever conclusion the NTSB reaches, it is clear public confidence in commercial aviation has been severely shaken. FAA safety enforcement and security methods have taken a beating from former NTSB Inspector General Mary Schiavo who discovered appalling irregularities in safety procedures. Her staff in a recent test also slipped past security at a major airport. One wonders what other airlines and airports are playing fast and loose with safety.

It's hard to believe, despite protests to the contrary by Transportation Secretary Federico Pena, that all is well in air travel.

The facts, so far, are beginning to show otherwise.