Three families retain aviation law firm

NEW YORK, N.Y. (WIVB) - No one investigates like News 4 and we've learned three families have retained a prominent aviation law firm in the wake of the crash of Flight 3407.

They are putting out some interesting theories about what may have gone wrong.

An animation of Flight 3407's final moments was pieced together by a New York City based law firm which specializes in aviation accidents.

The law firm, Kreindler and Kreindler, is doing it's own investigation into what happened.

Among the possible factors being examined, icing - the fact that it was a night time flight and pilot training.

We know from federal investigators that the pilots discussed ice buildup before the crash, and that the plane's auto-pilot was on during the approach to Buffalo.

The law firm, which has signed on to represent three families who lost loved ones, questions the flight crew's experience, and whether they were properly trained to deal with icing and stall recovery.

According to Colgan Air, which operated the Continental commuter flight, Captain Marvin Renslow had 109 hours flying the aircraft as a pilot in command.

Why did the airplane suddenly stall and what role icing may have had in causing the stall are still unanswered questions.

Ice accumulation, according to the aviation law firm, may have required a higher power setting to maintain a safe airspeed.

One other question involves whether the plane's de-icing equipment was sufficient to handle the icing conditions that night.

At this point, federal investigators have concluded nothing about what caused the crash in Clarence Center that claimed the lives of 49 people onboard and one person on the ground.

Meanwhile, Colgan Air maintains that it requires double the amount of flight training time prior to operating aircraft like the Q 400 than is required by the Federal Aviation Administration.