Just reading the WSJ reports on today's NTSB hearing concerning the
Q400 accident in Buffalo. I am not a pilot -- I know just enough about
flying to be dangerous. But I have a question for you folks who do
have real knowledge of aviation.

The transcript of the cockpit voice recorder says that once the
emergency began and they knew they were in serious trouble, the co-
pilot informed the pilot that she had "put the flaps up", 13 seconds
after the captain had lowered them to 15 degrees for landing. If stall
warnings and stick shakers/pushers are screaming at you that you are
in danger of stalling, isn't raising the flaps one of the worst things
you can do, since it *increases* your stall speed? In other words, if
you are already too slow with the flaps down, then you are *reallY*
too slow with them up. I would think they should have left the flaps
where they were, the nose where the stick pusher had it and just
poured on the power in the hope of gaining altitude before they hit
anything.

Am I right? Or, if not, please explain why.

Thanks --
/Don Allen