The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and FAA are
investigating a July 31 incident at Washington National (DCA) in which
an apparent ATC miscommunication led to three regional jets—two
departing and one arriving—being involved in an apparent “near-miss,”
though high-ranking US transportation officials are disputing the use of
that terminology.
The regional aircraft were all operating as US Airways Express-branded flights. According to flight numbers cited on an ATC recording of the incident posted on the website of The Washington Post, which first reported on the incident Thursday, two of the aircraft involved were operated by Republic Airlines (likely Embraer E-170s). The third (one of the departing aircraft) was operated by Chautauqua Airlines, FAA has confirmed.
According to FAA, aircraft had been landing at DCA on the afternoon of July 31 from south to north. But the Potomac TRACON center in Warrenton, Va., changed operational guidance because of developing weather around 2 p.m., instructing aircraft to land from north to south.
This was apparently not communicated by the TRACON to the ATC tower at DCA, leading to “a loss of the required separation between two regional jets departing … and a regional jet inbound,” FAA stated. “The FAA is investigating the incident and will take appropriate action to address the miscommunication.”
According to a statement released Thursday by the US House of Representatives transportation and infrastructure committee, “Preliminary information indicates that the closest proximity was 1.45 [nautical miles] lateral and 500 ft. vertical for the first departing plane and 2.42 nm. lateral and 600 ft. vertical for the second plane.”
FAA acting administrator Michael Huerta downplayed the notion that the aircraft had been involved in a “near-miss” at a Thursday afternoon press conference. “What we had was a loss of separation … but at no point were any of the planes heading directly for one another,” he said.
US transportation secretary Ray LaHood acknowledged there was an ATC “miscommunication” that “shouldn’t have happened.
” But he emphasized, “At no point were these planes on a head-to-head collision course. There was a loss of separation.
” He vowed to “get to the bottom” of what happened and why.
NTSB said in an emailed statement that it will also investigate the incident.
“It will involve a review of communications recordings and radar data, as well as interviews with supervisors and controllers at DCA and Potomac TRACON over the next few days,” it added.
source: atwonline.com
The regional aircraft were all operating as US Airways Express-branded flights. According to flight numbers cited on an ATC recording of the incident posted on the website of The Washington Post, which first reported on the incident Thursday, two of the aircraft involved were operated by Republic Airlines (likely Embraer E-170s). The third (one of the departing aircraft) was operated by Chautauqua Airlines, FAA has confirmed.
According to FAA, aircraft had been landing at DCA on the afternoon of July 31 from south to north. But the Potomac TRACON center in Warrenton, Va., changed operational guidance because of developing weather around 2 p.m., instructing aircraft to land from north to south.
This was apparently not communicated by the TRACON to the ATC tower at DCA, leading to “a loss of the required separation between two regional jets departing … and a regional jet inbound,” FAA stated. “The FAA is investigating the incident and will take appropriate action to address the miscommunication.”
According to a statement released Thursday by the US House of Representatives transportation and infrastructure committee, “Preliminary information indicates that the closest proximity was 1.45 [nautical miles] lateral and 500 ft. vertical for the first departing plane and 2.42 nm. lateral and 600 ft. vertical for the second plane.”
FAA acting administrator Michael Huerta downplayed the notion that the aircraft had been involved in a “near-miss” at a Thursday afternoon press conference. “What we had was a loss of separation … but at no point were any of the planes heading directly for one another,” he said.
US transportation secretary Ray LaHood acknowledged there was an ATC “miscommunication” that “shouldn’t have happened.
” But he emphasized, “At no point were these planes on a head-to-head collision course. There was a loss of separation.
” He vowed to “get to the bottom” of what happened and why.
NTSB said in an emailed statement that it will also investigate the incident.
“It will involve a review of communications recordings and radar data, as well as interviews with supervisors and controllers at DCA and Potomac TRACON over the next few days,” it added.
source: atwonline.com
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