The Navy’s Terrible Accident Record Is Now Hidden From Public View
October 9, 2018 01:40 PM ET
The latest incidence of a government agency quietly removing data from its website demonstrates the dangers of an ever-changing internet.
Websites appear and disappear every day. The internet is an amorphous beast, constantly being edited and updated. We accept these changes as simple fact, but crucial information is frequently removed from government websites—and small changes over time can have major downstream consequences.
I made the disturbing discovery recently that, amid a dramatic five-year spike in aviation accidents, the Navy has put aviation safety data that used to be public behind a wall. I bumped into this change while researching for the documentary film Who Killed Lt. Van Dorn?, which uncovers the long history of negligence and institutional failure surrounding the 53E helicopter, the deadliest aircraft in the U.S. military.
https://www.nextgov.com/cio-briefing/2018/10/navys-terrible-accident-record-now-hidden-public-view/151875/