As a consequence, the higher the plane flew the less oxygen was in the cabin, causing everyone aboard, except for a steward, to fall unconscious.

The report said even if the steward, using portable oxygen bottles, had managed to land the plane all the passengers would have been dead because of a lack of oxygen.

There was no comment from Cypriot authorities on the report.

The committee was investigating why the Helios Airways Boeing 737-300 had crashed on a flight from Cyprus to Prague.

The committee delivered the dossier to Cypriot authorities on Thursday. The Cypriots have 60 days to include their own findings before a final report is published.

Long suspected to have suffered a loss of cabin pressure, the plane was on autopilot for more than two hours. A steward with a trainee pilot's license was grappling at its controls.

Trailed by two Greek fighters which scrambled when the plane lost radio contact, it crashed into a mountain north of Athens after running out of fuel.

The NTSB’s recommendations follow several accident investigations where questions were raised into how a modified certification process could have prevented the disasters. These include the USAir Boeing 737-300 accident in September 1994 in which the NTSB focused on the rudder actuator; and the TWA Boeing 747-100 crash in July 1996, which was blamed on the centre wing fuel tank.

Other investigations noted were those into the Alaska Airlines Boeing MD-83 crash in January 2000, caused by the horizontal stabiliser screwjack assembly, and the American Airlines Airbus A300-600R accident in November 2001, which focused on the rudder system.

There is a call for action by airline pilots after an Eyewitness News investigation discovered a growing problem at a major New York Airport.

Aborted landings are on the rise as pilots try to avoid colliding with other planes.

The Airline Pilots Association is responding to our investigation. They say the heavy reliance on aborted landings at LaGaurdia could be a sign that planes are flying much too close for comfort.

Everyday, 1100 planes take off or land at LaGuardia. Since the airport has intersecting runways, that means landing and departing planes are literally pointing at each other.

It's usually not a problem. But sometimes it can be close and when it is, pilots are forced to abort their landings to avoid collision as was the case with a Delta 727.

Air Traffic Control: "Delta 1764 go around traffic departing left to right, expedite your climb up to 2,000."

Pilot: "We're heading to 2000, we're expediting."

To prevent collision, the controller then radios urgent instructions to the plane taking off:

Air Traffic Control: "Fox trot keep it low through the intersection, departure correction go around, right to left."

Pilot: "We'll keep it down low, 5/50 fox."

Bob Ober, former commercial pilot: "That is a very hazardous situation, so they tried to separate the two airplanes vertically and in that situation with one departing and one arriving you really don't have that much control vertically on either airplane and it's a dangerous thing."

Neuman says the FAA needs to act.

Marion Blakey, FAA administrator: "Yes, we are running aircraft at LaGuardia very tight because you can."

The head of the FAA sees no need to investigate aborted landings at LaGuardia.

Blakey: "The overall track record at LaGuardia is very, very good. In terms of operational errors, they are relatively few. In terms of pilot deviations, again, you don't see a big spike in problems there."

Mitchell Seber, pilot: "The traffic is dense, the communications are very rapid paced and the environment is very intolerant of any kind of deviation. So you really need to be on your game when you fly in this airspace."

Air traffic controllers at LaGuardia admit they are often pushed to the limit but say they can handle it and aborted landings are a safe way to keep planes apart.

Nobody likes to work the night shift.

FACT: Typically 15% to 20% of a shiftwork population prefers working the night shift. The reasons for this are various. One frequent reason for preferring the night shift is that the shiftworker will always have the option to have time during the day to run errands and take care of other tasks when traffic and crowds are lower.

Many shiftworkers prefer the night shift because it allows them the chance to be at home when their children are coming home from school or their partners are coming home from work.

Another less frequently mentioned reason is that night shifts minimize interaction with management and they don’t have to deal with any of the extra stress that management may present to them.

Some also simply prefer the later hours of the night shift. Some people show strong circadian "personalities" either as people who strongly prefer the early morning (lark) or strongly prefer the late night (owl). For a shiftworker who already has an owl personality, the night shift is simply the shift that best fits his or her personal circadian rhythm.

Headaches don’t start in the brain, as many people think. They are actually the products of malfunctioning blood vessels, nerves, — and in the case of tension headaches — muscles in the head.

Tension headaches usually develop in the afternoon, usually causing mild or moderate pain. It may envelop your entire head or be limited to the forehead or to the back or top of your head. Many people describe the sensation as a dull tightness or pressure that occurs in a band like pattern.

Experts believe that the pain of a tension headache is caused by tightness in the muscles of the scalp and the back of the neck. A variety of emotional and physical factors can trigger this muscle tightness. One survey reported that stress was the most common trigger of tension headaches. Other triggers include missed meals, lack of sleep, and fatigue. Physical problems, such as eyestrain, whiplash, or poor posture, can also act as triggers.

Treating tension headaches

The muscle tightness of a tension headache is often difficult to reverse. Over-the-counter (OTC) and even prescription pain relievers usually don’t help much because they target only the symptom of tension headache (pain), without addressing the underlying cause (muscle contraction). Rely on them too much and you may find that your tension headaches gradually increase in frequency. To make matters worse, taking pain relievers more than two days a week, especially those containing caffeine, may make other medications less effective at relieving your tension headaches. So, the best way to stop the pain of tension headache is to target its major cause: muscle contraction.

Talk to your doctor about medications other than painkillers. Certain tricyclic antidepressants are particularly effective for preventing tension headache. Because they cause drowsiness, tricyclic antidepressants are particularly useful for those who have both tension headache and insomnia.

Your doctor might prescribe a fast-acting but short-lived muscle relaxant, which can loosen head and neck muscles. While these medications don’t relieve pain any more effectively than OTC analgesics, they do address the cause of the tension headache. They work quickly, taking effect within 15–30 minutes. They may cause drowsiness and fatigue, so avoid driving, operating heavy equipment, or performing other hazardous tasks while taking these medications.

A long-acting muscle relaxant can stave off tension headaches. Side effects are similar to those of short-acting muscle relaxants. To reduce the likelihood that side effects will disrupt your routine, these medications should be taken only once, before bedtime.

Identify and treat pressure points. Some people with tension headache have very sensitive areas, known as trigger points, at the back of the neck or shoulders. When touched, these tender areas sometimes prompt a headache. If your doctor identifies such trigger points during the physical exam and other treatments fail to provide relief, injecting a local anesthetic into these areas may eliminate the pain and prevent the headache from occurring again. This option has limitations, though. First, you must receive the shot at a clinic, hospital, or your doctor’s office. Second, many people are uneasy about receiving a shot in the neck or shoulders.

Try nondrug/alternative therapies. You can also try various types of physical and relaxation therapies to prevent tension headache, although these techniques only work if you practice them on a regular basis, preferably every day. The simplest strategy is to apply a heating pad to your neck or shoulder, to relax the muscles. Your doctor may be able to provide examples of suitable exercises or a referral to a physical therapist.

Preventing tension headaches

To keep tension headaches at bay:

Don’t skip meals.

Get enough sleep.

Pace yourself to avoid excessive fatigue.

A headache may be more serious when…

About 95% of headaches aren’t caused by an underlying disease or structural abnormality. However, because the following symptoms could indicate a significant medical problem, seek medical care promptly if you experience

a sudden, severe headache (with or without a stiff neck)

a headache with fever

convulsions

a headache following a blow to the head

confusion or loss of consciousness

a headache along with pain in the eye or ear

a persistent headache when you were previously headache-free

a headache that interferes with routine activities.