The tragedy of the plane crash in Quincy, Ill., has moved me to write about the lack of value of human life by the Federal Aviation Administration.

The crash in Quincy was caused because there was NO tower at this airport. What kind of airport has no flight tower? Is this even an airport? Mike Coultas a private airline pilot said it all, “I kept thinking to myself, I can’t believe this aircraft on runway 4 does not see the other aircraft.”

Seconds later both airplanes collided at the middle of the runway causing a huge fireball that one firefighter simply put, “I never did make out the other plane.”

Wednesday afternoon, the black box was retrieved from the plane on the runway. The pilot yelled to the other pilot right before the collision, “What the hell are you doing you’re right on top of me.”

The tape ended with radio silence. I personally am afraid of flying on airlines with all the recent crashes, fires, bombs and problems that every airline has encountered.

But I think it’s time the FAA starts blaming itself for all these crashes. They have to take responsibility of doing their jobs by making sure that if an airplane is not safely ready to fly, then it shouldn’t be in the air. Regardless of the holidays coming up, if you have to disappoint three hundred people to save their lives then do it.

I know that if you tell them their flight was grounded because there were safety problems with the plane they will be happy they never got on it. It’s time for the FAA to do it’s job.

Personally, I’m not taking any planes anywhere if I can drive or take a bus there.

Andy Gonzales

Freshman

Political Science