FAA suspends 2 air traffic controllers over Hudson crash (CNN)

[eppur_se_muova]

(CNN) -- The Federal Aviation Administration has suspended two air traffic controllers over last week's collision of two aircraft over the Hudson River that killed nine people, a spokeswoman said.

A controller at New Jersey's Teterboro Airport handling the flight of a Piper airplane carrying three people "was involved in apparently inappropriate conversations on the telephone at the time of the accident," FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said in a statement Thursday.

A source with knowledge of the investigation said the controller was on the phone with his girlfriend "after he cleared the pilot for takeoff; he was still on the phone at the time of the crash."

In addition, "the supervisor was not present in the building as required," Brown said.

"While we have no reason to believe at this time that these actions contributed to the accident, this kind of conduct is unacceptable, and we have placed the employees on administrative leave and have begun disciplinary proceedings," she said.
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more: http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/08/13/new.york.plane.crash/index.html

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. I ma noticiing that some gov't agencies are doing their jobs now.

Nice change.

[MindPilot]

2. Thanks for that Ronnie...

Seriously doubt if that would have happened under PATCO

[MercutioATC]

8. VFR planes hit each other under PATCO, too.

There are two separate incidents here.

1) The Piper pilot hit a helicopter.

2) Upon investigation, it was discovered that a controller who had been talking to the Piper pilot (but no longer was at the time of the crash) had made a personal phone call while on position.


They have nothing to do with each other.

[MindPilot]

12. Yeah, but isn't it a mortal sin or something to pass up the opportunity

to pin something on Reagan?

[Liberal In Texas]

3. "...no reason to believe at this time that these actions contributed to the accident..."

I would be curious to know if someone in the tower gave the fixed wing pilot a heads up on the helicopter traffic that was ahead of him, about 10 o'clock. If nobody did, I would say that the inattention of the controllers had to have contributed to the accident.

[kirby]

4. manslaughter n/t

[MercutioATC]

6. Ummm, no. The controller wasn't working either aircraft at the time of the crash.

I'm not defending his being on the phone while on position, but he had absolutely nothing to do with the crash.

[kirby]

7. I do not know...

If he was responsible in some way he/she should be charged. If not, just fired. Obviously I do not want someone charged who was innocent, but I also want accountability for those who are not.

[MercutioATC]

9. He was in NO way responsible for the crash.

He IS "guilty" of breaking a regulation that prohibits making phone calls while working a position.

[kirby]

10. I didnt know the investigation was complete...

If that is the result, then okay he should be fired then.

[MercutioATC]

11. No, but it's clear that he wasn't involved.

As for disciplining him, I'm sure they'll take appropriate action.

[FarCenter]

5. Teterboro ATC had handed the Piper off to Newark Liberty ATC prior to the crash

Both the Piper and the helicopter were under 1000 feet over the Hudson River, and they were flying according to Visual Flight Rules, i.e. they were not being actively controlled by Newark ATC. Newark only monitors VFR traffic below 1000 feet over the Hudson.

The Piper was climing and turning and struck the helicopter from the rear. I believe that the sole responsibility for the accident will be found to lie with the pilot of the Piper.

[MisterP]

13. reminds me of this JAL-on-JAL incident in '01

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_Japan_Airlines_mid-air_incident
which features the one pilot on the planet cooler than Sullenberger