The head of NASA said Wednesday he will release results of a survey suggesting air safety incidents may occur more frequently than commonly thought.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration chief Michael Griffin, speaking at a congressional hearing, said an agency employee "misspoke" earlier in saying that releasing the information may alarm the U.S. public and hurt airlines, NewScientist.com reported.

Griffin said the data could not legally be released earlier because it might have identified a specific pilot or airline. He said the report was being edited to remove identifying information and should be released by the end of the year, the online news agency said.

The four-year survey, based on telephone interviews of 24,000 commercial pilots and 5,000 private pilots, indicates engine failures, bird strikes and close-calls between aircraft in the air and on runways happen more often than previously known.

"NASA should be in the business of putting information in front of the public, not withholding it," said House Science and Technology Committee member Ralph Hall, R-Texas.  // Copyright 2007 by United Press International



Publication date: 01 November 2007   

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