Who was Rebecca Lynne Shaw? What we know about Flight 3407 pilot as victims families mark 16 years since crash

Rebecca Lynne Shaw was the 24-year-old co-pilot on the Continental Connection Flight that came crashing down near Buffalo, N.Y. in 2009. This Wednesday marks 16 years since the crash in Clarence Center.

The crash claimed the lives of all 49 passengers aboard, as well as one person on the ground. At the time, the NTSB ruled that it was a pilot error and a lack of training that had culminated in the crash.

The ruling triggered the victims' families to pursue legal action, as a result of which the Airline Safety Act of 2010 was passed. It outlines measures to tackle pilot fatigue, consumer transparency, and more.

Rebecca Lynne Shaw, who joined the airline in January 2008 and had over 2,000 hours of flying under her belt, was "paid a salary so low that she lived with her parents near Seattle and commuted across the country to her job," NBC News reported in May 2009. Per the outlet, at the time, she earned $23,900.

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Everything we know about the crash on the fateful night of February 12, 2009, as officials blame Rebecca Lynne Shaw for being "fatigued"

As reported by Spectrum News 1, the families have since issued a statement:

"Today marks 16 years since Continental Flight 3407 tragically crashed in Clarence Center, New York... The pain of their loss is still felt every day - mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, sisters and brothers, friends and colleagues - all taken too soon. In the years since this preventable tragedy, we have fought relentlessly to ensure that no other families suffer the same loss. Our advocacy led to the passage of landmark aviation safety legislation, which strengthened pilot training and experience requirements, established critical fatigue management rules, and enhanced safety oversight. As a result, these regulations have been instrumental in preventing further fatal crashes in U.S. commercial aviation for over fifteen years."

The statement goes on:

"As we gather today to remember those we lost, we urge lawmakers, government regulators, and industry leaders to uphold their commitment to safety. No one else should experience the pain we live with every day. There are already too many of us."

Following the accident, the National Transportation Safety Board found, on its second day of a three-day hearing, that Captain Marvin Renslow and co-pilot Rebecca Lynne Shaw were weary on the night of February 12, causing them to make a slew of perilous errors as Continental Connection Flight 3407 drew closer to the Buffalo Niagara International Airport.

Board member Kitty Higgins said at the time that fatigue is often a cause for concern and is typically the root cause of several such crashes.

"When you put together the commuting patterns, the pay levels, the fact that the crew rooms aren't supposed to be used (for sleeping) but are being used — I think it's a recipe for an accident, and that's what we have here," Higgins said, per NBC.

Congressman Tim Kennedy (NY-26) has also stated to commemorate the anniversary:

“Today, I honor and remember each life that was lost far too soon in the tragic Colgan Air Flight 3407 crash that took place in Western New York 16 years ago. Its impact on the Western New York community continues to be felt today. So too does the work carried out by the families of those who were lost. I applaud their extraordinary tenacity in addressing pilot fatigue, strengthening consumer transparency, and increasing pilot training requirements—all in the face of ceaseless efforts by the industry to roll back protections. We all owe them a debt of gratitude for improving flight safety for every person who steps on an airplane. To honor their legacy, it is more important than ever to carry forward the families’ hard-fought and hard-earned advancements in aviation safety.”

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Spectrum News has reported that yesterday, a wreath-laying ceremony took place at the memorial at 5 p.m.