NTSB RELIEVES AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS GROUP OF PARTY STATUS IN HUDSON RIVER MIDAIR COLLISION

The National Transportation Safety Board today removed the National Air Traffic Controllers Association as a party to its investigation into the August 8 midair collision of two aircraft over the Hudson River that killed all 9 persons aboard.

Under the Safety Board's procedures, organizations and agencies are invited to participate in NTSB investigations if they can provide technical expertise. At the outset of the investigation, the organizations sign an agreement to abide by NTSB party rules. Among the rules parties agree to is that they will not reveal investigative information being learned through that process, nor publicly comment on it. Parties agree that only the NTSB will release factual information on the progress of the investigation and discuss the progress of the investigation with the public, including the news media.

On Friday, August 14, NATCA convened a press conference to discuss information released earlier that day by the NTSB. The organization was subsequently reminded of its responsibilities as a party to the investigation. This morning, NATCA issued a press release again discussing the information released, and conducted another press conference this afternoon.

Patrick Forrey, NATCA President, was informed today that his organization has been removed as a party to the investigation.

In light of conflicting interpretations of factual information released by the NTSB on Friday, the Board takes this opportunity to address the issue of the Teterboro controller's interaction with the accident airplane in the minutes before the collision:

According to preliminary data provided to the Safety Board by the Federal Aviation Administration, the controller cleared the accident airplane for departure at 11:48:30. The first radar target for the airplane was detected at 11:49:55, at about 300 feet. The controller initiated a non-business-related telephone conversation at 11:50:31. Prior to the Teterboro controller instructing the pilot to contact Newark Tower at 1152:20, there were several aircraft in the Hudson River Class B Exclusion Area in the vicinity of the airplane, some of which were potential traffic conflicts. These were detected by radar and displayed on the controller's scope in Teterboro tower. The Teterboro controller did not alert the airplane pilot to this traffic prior to instructing him to change his radio frequency and contact Newark. The accident helicopter was not visible on the Teterboro controller's radar scope at 1152:20; it did appear on radar 7 seconds later - at approximately 400 feet.

At 1152:54, 20 seconds prior to the collision, the radar data processing system detected a conflict between the accident airplane and the accident helicopter, which set off aural alarms and caused a "conflict alert" indication to appear on the radar displays at both Teterboro and Newark towers. The controller terminated his non-business-related telephone call at 11:53:13. The collision occurred at 11:53:14.

As the Safety Board stated in its media release on Friday, the role that air traffic control might have played in this accident will be determined by the NTSB as the investigation progresses. The Board is waiting for more detailed air traffic control-related data from the Federal Aviation Administration. Any opinions rendered at this time are speculative and premature.

"Although we appreciate the technical expertise our parties provide during the course of an investigation," NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman said, "it is counterproductive when an organization breaches the party agreement and publicly interprets or comments on factual information generated by that investigation. Our rules are set up precisely to avoid the prospect of each party offering their slant on the information. I regret that we have had to remove NATCA from the investigation."

ATC is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air.

The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic.

One of the primary duties of air traffic controllers is to control the flow of air traffic so that it is most efficient and safe as can be. More specifically, air traffic controllers engage in a number of tasks relative to this objective such as direct pilots to the runway, alert the pilots as to additional air traffic in the area, issue instructions for takeoff and landing, direct airplane pilots while en route to their destinations and maintain contact with the pilots during the travel. The air traffic controllers are responsible for aiding the pilots in reaching their destination.

The air traffic controllers are also responsible for doing preparation work before the flights take off. They will be responsible for checking weather statistics at both the current airport and future destination to ensure the safest route of travel and issue any possible weather delays. These individuals will also need to prepare specific flight information prior to the flight taking off.

The job of the air traffic controller does not always entail pilot contact alone. There are many clerical duties which go along with being an air traffic controller. There are many documents needed to be filled out and paperwork which must be completed each day by the air traffic controller. Certain clerical tasks may include analyzing weather reports and fuel requirements, compile pilots reports and flight plan documentation, complete daily logs, keep messages from the aircraft and review all reports for clarity and completeness.

The pilots are not the only ones who receive instruction from air traffic controllers. Also part of an air traffic controller’s duties is to instruct ground workers at the airport and/or airline in certain duties. This is necessary to ensure that the airplanes receive baggage workers and maintenance workers at the right place at the right time.

Air traffic controllers are also vital in the case of an emergency. Should an airplane encounter problems, the air traffic controller’s role is extremely important. The air traffic controllers will maintain contact with the pilots, aid in overcoming any flight problems, provide flight path changes for bad weather and in extreme circumstances, direct pilots to a specific area for emergency landings.

The air traffic controller must also efficiently hand over control to the airplane’s destination traffic control tower. Therefore, it is imperative that air traffic controllers maintain contact with one another so that they can let the destination tower know which airline is coming into their vicinity and let them know the approximate time of arrival.

Lastly, air traffic controllers must ensure that they are doing their jobs in strict compliance with federal regulations. They will also need to comply with specific airport rules and regulations while working at that particular airport. In order to complete their jobs to the fullest of their potential, air traffic controllers must be alert and effective while in the tower.

There are many different traits which an air traffic controller must possess to enable them to do the best job possible. One of the more important traits which air traffic controllers should have is precision. There is a lot at stake when it comes to controlling air traffic and it is easy to see why precision is so important. One wrong move by an air traffic controller could cost the lives of many.

<>Air traffic controllers must also be alert at all times in order to be the best controller possible. They need to watch the monitors at all times and constantly be available to airline pilots should they need the assistance of the tower. Alertness is another important trait for air traffic controllers to possess.

A positive attribute for air traffic controllers to possess which is desirable yet not required is experience. An experienced air traffic controller will most likely feel more comfortable in their position then their less experienced counterpart. In addition, those who have past experience may be able to jump into the job faster than those who have never done it before. However, experience is only a desired trait as opposed to a necessary one since everyone has to start somewhere.

Lastly, air traffic controllers should love what they do. Those individuals who are happy in their occupations are more likely to excel in the position than those who are not. Everyone has bad days but an overall enjoyment for one’s career as an air traffic controller is a good trait to possess.

From the ATC study guide...

Summary.

Controls en route and terminal air traffic by use of visual, radar, and non-radar means. Supervises and manages air traffic control (ATC) facilities.

Duties and Responsibilities.

Controls and regulates en route and terminal air traffic. Initiates and issues ATC clearances, instructions, and advisories to ensure the safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of air traffic operating under instrument and visual flight rules. Plans, organizes, directs, inspects, and evaluates ATC activities.

From the Regs...

5.4 In the provision of service the Air Traffic Controller applies control procedures to aircraft operating under visual flight rules and instrument flight rules. Control may also be applied to certain ground vehicles.
(a) Provide VFR control service to: (i) Airport traffic operating on the maneuvering area (ii) VFR aircraft operating within the control zone or Tower Radar Area
(iii) IFR aircraft for which the tower has responsibility for control.
(b) Provide IFR control service to: (i) IFR aircraft operating within controlled airspace (ii) VFR aircraft operating within specified airspace

But shouldn't the controller had responded immediately to the ‘conflict alert’, which occurred 20 seconds prior to the collision?

Not according to my experience. The controller has no reason to believe that the pilot was still monitoring the tower frequency, if in fact he was aware this "conflict alert" at all. I've flown the Hudson many times and was never in touch with Teterboro when I did. Things may be different now. I don't know. But it seems to me there is much less light airplane traffic than there was 15 years ago when I stopped flying. I'm not sure why a Teterboro tower guy would have this on his scope if he has a scope at all. My instrument instructor was an ATC (before Reagan canned him and his buddies) and I watched him work one evening. He could show every plane between Washington and Boston on his scope to get one of those cluttered displays you sometimes see on the news. But when he was working he never had more than four targets on his display, which was the block of airspace he was responsible for. (Some area out in western PA and only at some altitude block)

ML/NJ

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