Page:CAB Accident Report, Braniff Airways Flight 2.pdf/24

 should report to each other not only when each flight has left the ground at take-off, but also when each flight is approaching the field, and is preparing to take off.

Thus, the Braniff radio operator should have notified the TWA office by interphone that Braniff Flight 2 had taxied out and was still on the field. The difficulty in obtaining a clearance for Flight 2 was stated by the Braniff radio operator to have been the reason for his failure so to notify TWA. This delay was occasioned partly by the failure of the radio operator to note the request for a change on the clearance form, partly by the insufficiency of the request of Captain Powers, and partly by the static conditions existing at the time. Especially in view of this delay the Braniff radio operator should have informed TWA that Braniff Flight 2 had not yet taken off.

The TWA ground personnel were also at fault in that they failed to make proper use of the interphone. The TWA radio operator knew that Braniff Flight 2 was scheduled to depart at 2:16. He knew that it was customary for Braniff to report over the interphone when its flights had left the ground. He had received no such report from Braniff with respect to Braniff Flight 2. Despite this fact, he did not notify TWA flight 6 that Braniff had not reported off the field, and did not inquire of Braniff if Flight 2 had left the field. Nor did he inform Braniff that TWA Flight 6 was taxiing out for a take-off.

Captain Powers had observed the TWA airplane at the loading ramp when he taxied to the ramp at 2:05. He should have realized, since it was on the ramp before he arrived, that it might be taking off