Pilots May Avoid Criminal Charges After Amazon Air Crash
The recent Amazon Air cargo jet crash at Miami International Airport has raised questions about potential criminal charges against its pilots. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the cause of the accident, which killed five people and injured two others.
According to Hassan Shahidi, president and CEO of the Flight Safety Foundation, it's unlikely the pilots will face criminal charges due to a high bar in determining gross negligence, recklessness, or disregard for human life. Shahidi stated that 'from a criminal perspective, there is a federal standard' that must be met before prosecution can occur.
The NTSB probe usually takes over a year to complete and focuses on identifying what happened and why, rather than assigning blame or liability. In contrast, some countries have a dual-track investigation system, where both safety and criminal investigations are conducted simultaneously.