1549 passenger witness didn’t even know rear door was breached

Doreen Welsh

NTSB HEARING (June 9- 11)
AGENDA
What really happened in the back of the plane?
Updates crew appearances/videos/posts (6-8)

UPDATE: 1549 passenger witness did not even know rear door was breached

June 9, 2009

Watching a webcast is something new. Due to the storms in the area, the connection got reset multiple times and of course at the moment of Flight 1549 passenger Billy Campbell’s relevant testimony. [I'll check on the archive later.]

Here’s what I did hear:

Mr Campbell, the passenger witness, has not talked to media in three months – therefore he could not have said anything that was attributed to him in the paper.

Most important point of testimony:

Campbell, at no time, while on that plane, knew the rear door was compromised.

Therefore, he could not have seen anyone do or not do anything to it.

ASKED BY ROBERT SUMWALT: [Welsh] did not open the aft door?

ANSWERED BY CAMPBELL: I did not see that.

He followed instructions from Flight Attendant Doreen Welsh.

She said no one could go out the rear door.

She was very firm about that.

He got out by crawling over the seats.

He said Ms Welsh was very courageous.

He said she did tell him later that a passenger had tried to open it.

——

I didn’t get Capt Sullenberger’s testimony at all.