A federal accident board has told UPS and its pilots' union they can no longer participate in the agency's investigation of a crash that killed two of the cargo shipper's pilots.
The National Transportation Safety Board sent letters on Monday to UPS and the Independent Pilots Association revoking their "party status" in the investigation of last summer's crash during a landing approach at the Birmingham, Alabama, airport.
The board said both violated their party status by making public statements about the cause of the accident before the investigation is finished.
The union released a statement blaming the accident on the flight crew's fatigue and calling for a change in the rules governing cargo pilots' schedules. A UPS spokesman responded with a statement asserting that the crew's schedule met regulations.
