Posted on 09/06/2006 2:54:18 PM PDT by NCjim
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -- The sole survivor of a plane crash that killed 49 people near Lexington last week told family members from his hospital bed, ''Why did God do this to me?'' but he hasn't mentioned the crash, a close family friend said Wednesday.
James Polehinke, who was the flight's co-pilot, can move only his head, and tears often well up in his eyes, said Antonio Cruz, Polehinke's mother's boyfriend. He said the 44-year-old had only gained consciousness on Tuesday.
Polehinke hasn't mentioned the crash and doctors have encouraged family members not to ask him about it, Cruz told The Associated Press.
According to federal investigators, Polehinke was controlling Comair Flight 5191 when it the regional jet took off from a too-short runway at Lexington's Blue Grass Airport, crashed and caught fire in a nearby field on Aug. 27. He was pulled to safety from the broken cockpit, but everyone else aboard the plane died in the crash and fire.
Polehinke is now off a ventilator but could be hospitalized for several more weeks with facial and spine fractures, a broken leg, foot and hand, three broken ribs, a broken breastbone and a collapsed lung.
He has asked about various family members, Cruz said, and has questioned his relationship with God.
One of the first full sentences he said after regaining consciousness was, ''Why did God do this to me?'' Cruz said.
Cruz said Polehinke's mother, Honey Jackson, told him: ''It was not God. It was just an accident.''
Investigators are looking into airport construction and staffing at the control tower, among other things, as a possible contributing factors to the Aug. 27 crash. The lone tower operator had turned to do administrative work as the plane turned onto the wrong runway and tried to take off, officials said.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Bump for truth.
Why? Because he tried to take off on a short runway, that's why.
I pray for this man, he's going through a special hell that only he can truly understand.
If I make a mistake I have to live with the consiquences, but thankfully in my job I have plenty of people to back me up and check my work, I can't kill 50 people by accident in one fell swoop.
I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like to wake up every mourning with this on my conscience.
Why not?
I'm a private pilot, and this is the worst nightmare I could imagine having to live with.
Thread over. You win.
God did not do this to him, nor is he resposible for an INTENTIONAL act on those he killed or the families that lost their loved ones.
He f'd up and made a mistake, no doubt whatsoever that he bears the resposbility for this.
People make mistakes all the time it's just for most of us our mistakes can't have these consiquences that his did, he has to bear the responsability and the pain for this, I feel for him and his family.
Yes. I have no backup and a mistake in the wrong direction (pricing) can cost my company thousands. (Can you spell stress?)
But, that is nothing compared to the awesome responsibility the pilots bear. This man needs a lot of prayer.
Excuse me if I took your posts the wrong way I was ASSuming you were anwsering his question, "Why did God do this to me?', no the title to the article.
Yep, me too.
I knew what you meant.
My thoughts exactly....he's never going to get over this one....
I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like to wake up every mourning with this on my conscience.
^^^^
I was actually hoping, for his sake, that his injuries would be fatal, because I don't see how he will be able to live with the knowledge of that take-off. His emotional torment is going to be as painful as any nerve damage pain that anyone could experience.
Not just him, but also the Captain and the controller. IIRC the Captain was the one who put the aircraft on the wrong runway. Of course he should have noticed that they were on the wrong runway, but he, nor the others, did not.
Sounds like he may be a quad. He may not remember what happened yet and just knows that he was in an accident.
Knowing where the runways are (and aren't) was a basic part of getting a licence. Maybe he should seek another profession.
I dunno, I like LibWhacker's theory. God can be pretty mean you know. He is, after all, in control of everything. Sounds like the blame is where it belongs.
BTW what makes you say the "act" was intentional. Even if it was, I say God's still behind it.
I doubt he will ever fly again. He made a horrible mistake that he will have to live with the rest of his life.
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