Trawling the NTSB database..........
The following intends to highlight the lack of efficacy in the “See and Avoid” principal.
If you are interested in a look, click on this link:-
NTSB Database search
- Click on "database query"
- Scroll down and where it says
(Enter your word string below: (This option will slow the query performance)) type in
midair collision and then submit!
Reading some of them made my blood run cold (58 records for 98-2003)
Apparently the FAA has a much bigger data base of the same as the NTSB does not investigate all incidents.
These 3 are bad enough!!!
NTSB Identification: ANC00IA088. The docket is stored in the (offline) NTSB Imaging System.
Scheduled 14 CFR Part 121: Air Carrier (D.B.A. ALASKA AIRLINES)
Incident occurred Tuesday, July 11, 2000 in ANCHORAGE, AK
Probable Cause Approval Date: 2/20/02
Aircraft: McDonnell Douglas MD-82, registration: N935AS
Injuries: 107 Uninjured.
ANC00IA088
On July 11, 2000, about 1138 Alaska daylight time, the crew of N935AS, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82 airplane, reported a near midair collision, about 15 miles north of the Ted Stevens International Airport, Anchorage, Alaska. The flight was being conducted under Title 14, CFR Part 121, as a scheduled domestic passenger flight, operated by Alaska Airlines as Flight 131. There were no injuries to the two pilots, three flight attendants, or the 102 passengers aboard. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the Ted Stevens International Airport, and an instrument flight plan had been filed. The flight originated about 0900 Pacific daylight time from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Seattle, Washington.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on July 17, the captain of the MD-82 stated that during approach to the Ted Stevens International Airport, approach control was providing radar vectors in order to intercept the localizer for runway 14. He said that during the initial part of the approach, while descending through 4,000 feet msl, instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed. The captain stated that approach control cleared him to descend to 3,000 feet msl, on a heading of 160 degrees, and reported that there was traffic about 1 mile to the southwest, with an indicated altitude of 2,500 feet msl. The captain said that as he started to level the airplane at 3,000 feet msl, and as the airplane descended below the clouds, he immediately saw a twin-engine airplane climbing from 2,500 feet toward his airplane. He said that he had very little time to react before the twin-engine airplane passed to the left and below of his airplane, about 500 feet horizontally, and 200 feet vertically.
At the time of the incident both airplanes were operating in Class E airspace.
The captain added that his airplane's traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS) was inoperative at the time of the incident. Subsequently, no collision avoidance alert was provided to the crew of the MD-82.
A review of approach control records revealed that the twin engine
Piper Seneca, N39522, was not in contact with approach control, nor was it required to be.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on July 14, the designated FAA pilot examiner aboard the second airplane involved in the near midair collision incident, reported that he was conducting a multi-engine check ride at the time of the incident. He said that cloud conditions in the area were scattered, with higher clouds to the north of his location. He added that he was able to use a large open area that was clear of clouds. He said that just after completing one of the required maneuvers, about 3,000 msl, and about one-half mile away from the cloud bank, an Alaska Airline MD-82 suddenly appeared from out of the clouds on the right side of his airplane. He added that the MD-82 was about 800 feet above his airplane as it passed from the right to the left.
A review of air-ground radio communications tapes maintained by the FAA at the Anchorage TRACON revealed that the controller advised the MD-82 pilot that there was conflicting traffic, about one mile southwest of his location, headed in a northwesterly direction, and that the altitude was indicating 2,500 feet. About 20 seconds later the pilot of the MD-82 reported to the controller, in part: "...ha, that was pretty close on that traffic."
NTSB Identification: NYC99IA036 . The docket is stored in the (offline) NTSB Imaging System.
Scheduled 14 CFR Part 129: Foreign CANADIAN AIRLINES
Incident occurred Tuesday, December 08, 1998 in NEW YORK, NY
Probable Cause Approval Date: 4/20/00
Aircraft: Boeing 737, registration: GCPX
Injuries: 52 Uninjured.
On December 8, 1998, about 1725 eastern standard time, a Boeing 737, C-GCPX, operated by Canadian Airlines International Ltd. as Flight 528, experienced a near midair collision while maneuvering to land at La Guardia Airport, New York, New York. The airplane was not damaged, and the 2 flight crewmembers, 4 flight attendants, and 46 passengers were not injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed for the scheduled passenger flight that was conducted under 14 CFR Part 129.
According to the duty chief dispatcher for Canadian Airlines, the Boeing 737 was on downwind for La Guardia's runway 4, at 4,000 feet msl, when the crew caught a glimpse of three lights. The lights were red, white, green, and aligned vertically with the red light on the bottom.
The duty chief dispatcher added that the first officer saw the other airplane and had enough time to realize they were not going to collide, but not enough time to execute an evasive maneuver. In addition, the airplane's traffic alert collision avoidance system went from "TRAFFIC" to "MONITOR VERTICAL SPEED" to "CLEAR OF CONFLICT" in approximately 2 seconds.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration's Preliminary Pilot Deviation Report, the other airplane was a Cessna 172, IFR, at 5,000 feet msl. The pilot of that airplane apparently saw the Boeing 737 at his 12 O'clock position and perceived it to be at the same altitude. To avoid a perceived collision, the Cessna pilot executed a descent, and at 4,000 feet MSL, the two airplanes passed 0 feet vertically and 500 feet horizontally from one another.
NTSB Identification: LAX98FA086A. The docket is stored in the (offline) NTSB Imaging System.
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, February 11, 1998 in MORGAN HILL, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 4/20/00
Aircraft: Beech J35, registration: N8343D
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 4 Uninjured.
A flight of two military helicopters was on a northerly heading while N8343D was on a converging northwesterly heading at the same altitude. There were no indications that the occupants of either aircraft saw each other prior to colliding in midair. The crew of the second helicopter saw the airplane approaching, but did not have time to radio a warning. After the collision, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent. The helicopter pilot made a precautionary, run-on landing, and made an emergency shutdown. The 5 feet 2 inch airplane pilot used a pillow, placed on the seat bottom to increase his seated height. The seat did not have a vertical adjustment. The sun was in the southwest quadrant, with scattered clouds and 20 miles visibility. The top and bottom rotating beacons, as well as landing lights of both helicopters were illuminated. The helicopter pilot was flight following, but had not received any conflicting traffic advisories. The airplane pilot was not communicating with ATC. The transponder in the airplane was squawking 1200 but the altitude was reported as erratic and unreliable. The unreliable altitude returns from the airplane disabled the automatic intruder program. The controller did not see the airplane as a primary target because he was busy handling other traffic.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's failure to maintain visual separation from the flight of military helicopters approaching from his left. The pilot's failure to request VFR traffic advisories, to maintain an adequate visual lookout, an erratic transponder, and glare from the sun were factors.
Yup, Safety will be improved
