Flight 3407: News Summary

Colgan Air is responding to several reports on what might have caused the crash of Flight 3407. The Memphis-based regional carrier has defended its safety record and the experience and training of its pilots and crew members, saying they meets or exceed regulatory requirements. The company also touted its commitment of "significant financial resources" to upgrade aircraft safety, efficiency and quality in recent years.

The crew of the doomed flight may have overreacted to a safety measure. Using data from "black boxes," investigators recreated the final seconds of the ill-fated flight, and found that an automatic safety system had pointed the nose of the aircraft down to generate speed. The "New York Times" says investigators now have a theory that the crew may have overreacted, yanking back on the yoke, causing the nose to point too high. A source familiar with the investigation says that caused the plane to plummet into the home below. The "Wall Street Journal" reports investigators are now looking at crew action as a possible cause of the crash.

Residents near the crash site in Clarence Center will be able to return to their homes this weekend. About a dozen homes have been off-limits since the fatal crash. Local officials say police will limit public access to the neighborhood for the first two days, and then maintain a heavy presence to stifle loitering.

As families from around the crash site prepare to return home, the mother and daughter who escaped their destroyed home returned to the scene yesterday. Karen and Jill Wielinski wanted to visit the place where husband and father Douglas died. Along with the Wielinskis, a neighboring family will also not be returning to their home. That home has been red-flagged for demolition. Clarence Emergency Services Coordinator David Bissonette said it's the only structure unable to be repaired