But NTSB Now Says The Accident Helicopter Was Not On Radar
Before Handoff
The NTSB late Monday removed the
National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) 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. Monday morning, NATCA issued
a press release again discussing the information released, and
conducted another press conference Monday 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."
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