NTSB blames ATC for ACE air crash
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NTSB blames ATC for ACE air crash
Anchorage Center controller a factor in 2013 fatal crash | Alaska Dispatch
For apparently the first time in history NTSB has blamed ATC for a crash.
For apparently the first time in history NTSB has blamed ATC for a crash.
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Did you read the article? It says it's the second time in ATC has been cited as a factor in an accident in Alaska.
A 20-year search of the NTSB accident database found only one previous instance where air traffic control was cited as a factor in an Alaska accident. In that case, it was a brief ground collision that resulted in one minor injury.
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This extract is worrying - my highlight:
"According to recorded data, as Flight 51 descended below the published altitude, the aircraft’s trajectory generated minimum safe altitude warnings both visually and aurally on the controller’s radar display. At 8:09:16 a flashing MSAW indicator appeared on the aircraft’s data block on the display that continued until the end of the flight. According to the NTSB, the controller was not aware of such warnings nor did he issue any terrain conflict alerts or climb instructions to the flight crew as the MSAW warning continued to report."
"According to recorded data, as Flight 51 descended below the published altitude, the aircraft’s trajectory generated minimum safe altitude warnings both visually and aurally on the controller’s radar display. At 8:09:16 a flashing MSAW indicator appeared on the aircraft’s data block on the display that continued until the end of the flight. According to the NTSB, the controller was not aware of such warnings nor did he issue any terrain conflict alerts or climb instructions to the flight crew as the MSAW warning continued to report."
NTSB blames ATC for ACE air crash
The NTSB, in common with all AIBs, don't do "blame". They endeavour to establish probable cause and identify other contributing factors.
In this instance, these were:
Probable cause:
The flight crew's failure to maintain terrain clearance, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain in instrument meteorological conditions.
Contributing factors:
a) The flight crew's failure to correctly read back and interpret clearance altitudes issued by the air traffic controller
b) The flight crew's failure to adhere to minimum altitudes depicted on the published instrument approach chart
c) The flight crew's failure to adhere to company checklists
d) The controller's issuance of an ambiguous clearance to the flight crew, which resulted in the airplane's premature descent
e) The controller's failure to address the pilot's incorrect read back of the assigned clearance altitudes
f) The controller's failure to monitor the flight and address the altitude violations and issue terrain-based safety alerts
Make of that what you will.
In this instance, these were:
Probable cause:
The flight crew's failure to maintain terrain clearance, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain in instrument meteorological conditions.
Contributing factors:
a) The flight crew's failure to correctly read back and interpret clearance altitudes issued by the air traffic controller
b) The flight crew's failure to adhere to minimum altitudes depicted on the published instrument approach chart
c) The flight crew's failure to adhere to company checklists
d) The controller's issuance of an ambiguous clearance to the flight crew, which resulted in the airplane's premature descent
e) The controller's failure to address the pilot's incorrect read back of the assigned clearance altitudes
f) The controller's failure to monitor the flight and address the altitude violations and issue terrain-based safety alerts
Make of that what you will.
