Two Flights Landed Without Clearance, Tower Was NORDO
The NTSB opened an investigation Thursday into an air
traffic control service interruption incident that occurred early
Wednesday morning at Washington Ronald Reagan National Airport
(DCA) in Arlington, Virginia.
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On March 23, 2011, between approximately 12:04 am and 12:28 am
EDT, an air traffic control service interruption occurred when two
air carrier aircraft and controllers at the Federal Aviation
Administration's Potomac Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON)
were unable to establish contact with the supervisory controller
working alone in the DCA control tower.
The last radio transmission made by the tower controller before
the service interruption occurred at 11:55 pm EDT on March
22. At 12:04 am EDT on March 23, American Airlines flight
1012, operating as a scheduled 14 Code of Federal Regulations part
121 flight between Dallas-Fort Worth and DCA, was instructed to
contact Washington tower by approach controllers at
TRACON.
Following numerous attempts to contact the DCA tower, the flight
crew executed a missed approach. The crew reported to TRACON their
inability to make contact with the DCA tower; TRACON then vectored
the aircraft back to the airport for another approach.
The approach controller and the TRACON supervisor on duty made
several attempts to contact the tower controller via telephone, but
were unable to establish contact. The TRACON approach controller
advised the crew of American flight 1012 that the tower was
apparently unattended, and that the flight would be handled as an
arrival to an uncontrolled airport.
The flight was again cleared for approach, and instructed to
switch to the tower frequency. At 12:12 am, the crew returned to
the tower frequency, still unable to make contact with the tower,
made position reports while inbound, and landed on runway 1.
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United Airlines flight 628T (UAL628T), operating as a scheduled
14 CFR 121 passenger flight from Chicago-O'Hare International
Airport to DCA, was advised of the service interruption by the
TRACON approach controller and subsequently transferred to the
tower frequency at 12:22 am.
The United flight, unable to make contact with the tower, made
position reports on the tower frequency while inbound, and landed
at 12:26 am. At 12:28 am, American flight 1012, on the ground at
DCA, established contact with the tower controller, and normal
services were resumed.
The controller in the tower at the time of the incident, along
with other FAA officials at DCA, were interviewed by the NTSB
today. The controller, who had 20 years' experience, 17 of those at
DCA, indicated that he had fallen asleep for a period of time while
on duty. He had been working his fourth consecutive overnight shift
(10 pm - 6 am). Human fatigue issues are one of the areas being
investigated.
The NTSB will be interviewing officials at the TRACON facility
tomorrow. NTSB Air Traffic Control specialist Scott Dunham is the
investigator-in-charge. He is being assisted by an NTSB human
performance specialist. Parties to the investigation are the FAA
and the National Air Traffic Controllers union.
Citing a fatal aircraft accident and two incidents that occurred
in a 23-month period between 2007 and 2009, on Monday, March 21,
the NTSB issued a safety recommendation letter to the FAA asking
the agency to improve the safety of air traffic control operations
by prohibiting air traffic controllers from providing
supervisory oversight while performing operational air traffic
duties.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement
concerning the incident: "Today I directed the FAA to place
two air traffic controllers at Ronald Reagan Washington National
airport's control tower on the midnight shift. It is not acceptable
to have just one controller in the tower managing air traffic in
this critical air space. I have also asked FAA Administrator Randy
Babbitt to study staffing levels at other airports around the
country."
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Babbit released a statement Thursay saying the agency is taking
quick action in connection with the incident. "The FAA is
thoroughly investigating Wednesday's early morning incidents at
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport's control tower. While
that is taking place, we have suspended the air traffic controller
from all operational duties. I am determined to get to the bottom
of this situation for the safety of the traveling public.," Babbit
said.
"As a former airline pilot, I am personally outraged that this
controller did not meet his responsibility to help land these two
airplanes. Fortunately, at no point was either plane out of radar
contact and our back-up system kicked in to ensure the safe landing
of both airplanes."