Incident: Republic E175, Republic E170, Chautauqua E135 at Washington on Jul 31st 2012, loss of separation
By Simon Hradecky, created Thursday, Aug 2nd 2012 19:47Z, last updated Thursday, Aug 2nd 2012 22:17Z
A Republic Airlines Embraer ERJ-175, flight YX-3329 from Portland,ME to Washington National,DC (USA), was following the Potomac River Approach and cleared to land on runway 19 descending through about 1900 feet at 14:08L (18:08Z).
The aircraft had been vectored onto the river approach following a runway switch, runway 19 became active due to arriving weather after runway 01 had been active before.
A Chautauqua Airlines Embraer ERJ-135, flight RP-3071 from Washington National,DC to Columbus,OH (USA), departed runway 01 at 14:06L (18:06Z) and was climbing through about 3400 feet above the arriving aircraft at 14:08L.
A Republic Airlines Embraer ERJ-170, flight YX-3467 from Washington National,DC to Kansas City,MO (USA), also departed runway 01 at 14:07L (18:07Z) and was climbing through about 1500 feet at 14:08L in opposite direction to YX-3329.
Tower recognized the error after YX-3329 was cleared to land, the controller asking puzzled "you are on the river?" YX-3329 was instructed to climb back to 2000 feet and turn sharply with the stunned crew querying "what happened?", the two departures already on departure frequency were turned as well.
The two departures were able to continue to their destinations for safe landings, YX-3329 positioned for another approach to Washington and landed safely, too.
The FAA reported that due to weather arriving the active runway was switched from 01 to 19. During the switch over a miscommunication occurred between tower and tracon causing aircraft already being vectored to land on runway 19 when aircraft were still departing in opposite direction on runway 01 resulting in a loss of separation between three aircraft carrying a total of 192 people on board. The NTSB is investigating the occurrence.
FAA radar data show YX-3329 at 14:08L at 1900 feet and YX-3467 at 1500 feet with a horizontal distance of 3.3nm, at 14:09L YX-3329 at 1800 feet and YX-3467 at 3000 feet (clear of conflict) with a horizontal distance of 2.0 nm.
The FAA and US Transportation Secretary Lahood reported late Aug 2nd that the minimum separation between YX-3329 and RP-3071 reduced to 800 feet vertical and 0.83nm horizontal, the closest separation between YX-3329 and YX-3467 was 800 feet vertical and 2.07nm with both aircraft on diverging trajectories. All aircraft had TCAS available, however no TCAS resolution advisory was issued by either aircraft system. Secretary Lahood added: "There was a loss of separation – it shouldn’t have happened. But a well-trained controller at the DCA tower immediately recognized the situation and worked quickly to fix it."
FlightAware > Republic (RW) #3329 > 31-Jul-2012 > KPWM - KDCA Flight Tracker
FlightAware > Chautauqua (RP) #3071 > 31-Jul-2012 > KDCA - KCMH Flight Tracker
FlightAware > Republic (RW) #3467 > 31-Jul-2012 > KDCA - KMCI Flight Tracker
Metars:
KDCA 311942Z 14010KT 7SM TSRA SCT065CB BKN090 OVC110 28/22 A2992 RMK AO2 TSB22RAB32 OCNL LTGICCG W-NE TS W-NE MOV NE CB DSNT SE-SW MOV NE VIS NW-N 2 P0001
KDCA 311922Z 17014KT 10SM TS FEW045CB SCT090 BKN110 BKN250 29/21 A2992 RMK AO2 TSB22 OCNL LTGIC VC W-NW TS W-NW MOV NE CB DSNT SE-SW MOV NE VCSH W-NW
KDCA 311852Z 16010G17KT 10SM FEW025 SCT045CB SCT110 SCT250 32/20 A2993 RMK AO2 SLP135 CB VC NE MOV NE CB DSNT SE-S MOV NE VCSH NE T03170200
KDCA 311837Z 15010KT 10SM FEW025 SCT045CB SCT110 SCT250 31/21 A2992 RMK AO2 CB NE MOV NE CB DSNT SE-S MOV NE
KDCA 311752Z VRB03KT 10SM SCT055TCU SCT250 31/18 A2994 RMK AO2 SLP138 TCU VC SE-S T03110178 10317 20250 58020
KDCA 311652Z 00000KT 10SM SCT050 SCT250 31/18 A2996 RMK AO2 SLP144 T03110183
KDCA 311452Z 00000KT 10SM BKN032 BKN170 BKN250 27/20 A3000 RMK AO2 SLP158 T02720200 58002