One year after the airline crash in Buffalo, NY, the FAA is taking a long, hard look at airline industry practices that many say are putting people’s lives at risk. Stories of pilots operating on too little sleep continue to come to light, and calls for wide reform are being made to prevent further incidents.

In the case of the Buffalo crash, a number of disturbing factors have been made public. Copilot Rebecca Shaw spent the night before the flight travelling from Seattle to Newark, NJ, before reporting for duty without getting any sleep. Captain Marvin Renslow commuted to New Jersey from Florida three nights before the flight, and spent two of those nights in the crew lounge with no bed. Both claimed to have experienced poor-quality and frequently interrupted sleep in the days leading up to the flight.

Some analysts suggest pilot performance problems may be partially tied to salary. Copilot Shaw had recently been given a raise from $16,000 to $24,000 dollars. When you consider that she commuted to New Jersey from Washington State, and further consider the usual price of hotels in the Newark area, it doesn't seem likely she could frequently afford reasonable, comfortable resting accommodations on such pay.

Sleep deprivation isn't something that people can safely tough out in any circumstances. Doctors and psychologists agree that a lack of healthy, regular sleep can lead to symptoms on par with alcohol consumption. In addition, a long term lack of sleep can be detrimental to the mind and body alike, further impairing overall performance. Airlines ground pilots who show up to work too drunk to fly, should they do the same with pilots who have had too little rest?

In the case of the Hudson River landing last year, the pilot's steady hand and quick reflexes were credited with the near miraculous survival of every passenger on the downed flight. In the effort of preventing future accidents, the industry needs to ask itself if that would have been the case if he'd been half asleep after two days of commuting.