Hometown News: Flight 3407 News Summary

The safety of turboprops in cold weather is being debated in the wake of the Flight 3407 crash. A gap in federal regulations allows turboprop planes to be flown without ever being certified as safe in the most dangerous icy conditions. Pilots and aviation experts are angry about what they call the FAA's "industry-influenced" inattention. Over the last 12 years, the FAA has left the issue of cold weather flying in the hands of a 55-member committee consisting largely of men and women in the aviation industry.

Three members of a Kansas church didn't get much of a chance to protest the funeral of a flight 3407 victim. The protestors only lasted a few minutes outside the memorial service for human rights advocate Allison Des Forges, near the University of Buffalo's South campus. Dozens of counter demonstrators, holding white flags and banners surrounded the trio, in an effort to shield mourners from the protestors. Earlier Sunday, the three protestors from the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas attempted to spread their anti-gay message in Clarence Center. Again, they were met with counter demonstrators. The Kansas group has made national headlines for protesting the funerals of American military members killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Clarence neighborhood residents were supposed to return to their homes this weekend, but that move has been delayed until tomorrow. Officials say the crash cleanup was slowed because of weather conditions. More soil needs to be removed because of possible contamination from the plane's fuel.

Flags at all state offices will be at half staff today to honor the victims of Flight 3407.