Lexington crash: Short one controller

LEXINGTON, Ky., Aug. 30 (UPI) -- The Lexington, Ky., airport was short one air traffic controller when a Comair commuter jet took off on the wrong runway and crashed.

National Transportation Safety Board spokeswoman Debbie Hersman said only one controller was on duty at the Blue Grass Airport when Comair Flight 5191 crashed Sunday, killing 49 of 50 people aboard.

"This controller did not have visual contact with the aircraft," she said. She said the controller cleared the aircraft for take-off on runway 22, but it instead lined up on the much shorter runway 26. As it did so, the controller "turned his back to perform administrative duties," the Lexington Herald-Leader quoted Hersman as saying.

Meanwhile, the lone survivor, 44-year-old co-pilot James Polehinke emerged from a medically induced coma at the University of Kentucky Chandler Tuesday night.

His physician, Dr. Andrew Bernard, said Polehinke is critically ill and paralysis is a possibility. He denied reports Polehinke was burned or suffered a severe brain injury. He said Polehinke has fractures in his face, spine, pelvis, right foot, right hand, ribs and breastbone, Bernard said.