US Airways A319 escorted down by fighter after transponder "error"

[MarkD]

http://www.torontostar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1026144631589&call_page=TS_News&call_pageid=968332188492&call_pagepath=News/News

Fighter escorts airliner to landing in Maryland
U.S. military says pilot 'miscommunication' triggered alert

LINTHICUM, Md. (AP) — At least one fighter jet escorted a US Airways flight to Baltimore-Washington International Airport today after a "miscommunication," officials said.

Maj. Ed Thomas of the North American Aerospace Defence Command, said a jet was scrambled and escorted the flight, which had left Charlotte, N.C., at 8:07 a.m. for the airport.

Laura Brown, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, said the incident involved an Airbus 319, which was flying as Flight 1814. The plane landed on time at about 9:30 a.m., according to the FBI.

"There was a miscommunication between the pilot and the ground," Brown said.

An FBI spokesman in Baltimore, Barry Maddox, confirmed that an emergency code was mistakenly entered into the plane's radar transponder.

"It seemed to indicate a problem when it was not a problem," Maddox said. "They radioed back and said it was a mistake" but the pilot was still ordered to land at Baltimore under escort as a precaution.

He said FBI agents boarded the plane to talk to the pilot and passengers and determined the plane had not been hijacked. Passengers and crew remained on the plane at late morning, he said.

Arlington, Va.-based US Airways did not return messages seeking further detail.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Hmmm.. what's the operative word for hijack anybody????

[blueball]

hope nobody responds to this request. If you don't know then you shouldn't know, or you need more training

[MarkD]

blueball, since Heathrow Director is an experienced ATCer, one can only suggest he's forgotten to log off and an ATC cleaner has found PPRuNe :D

[PaperTiger]

I think HD is indicating that CNN knows diddly about such matters :rolleyes:

[airbuslad]

The article states:

An FBI spokesman in Baltimore, Barry Maddox, confirmed that an emergency code was mistakenly entered into the plane's radar transponder.


Maybe its time that ATC issue squawk codes that are not so simular to the emergency codes. I know that I personally in the last month or so have had several codes that were only one digit off including some in 7700's

[ATC Watcher]

ICAO SARPs and FAA training manuals are available to buy by anyone with a credit card on the web.. we should possibly realise that the genie has long been out of the bottle..

Anyway, airbrushpad : only the codes ending with 00 were always the protected ones. the 01 to 77 have been released years ago for domestic use to alleviate SSR codes shortages and are used widely since a long time.

[ORAC]

The original CNN post has been amended, so I deleted my post.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

MarkD.. You're right! He's on leave at the moment. Now what does this headphone thingy do... "Speedybird turn right gas mark 4 and descend two million yards..." What fun!

[MarkD]

HD

meanwhile, overhead, pilots are amazed at the clarity of the new ATC instructions :D :D :D

[Ignition Override]

Goede Avond-Washington Center was always in charge of the most crowded chunk of US airspace. Since Sept 11 it must be a really nice place to work. If the USAirways flight had Sky Marshalls onboard, they must have been extra alert...

Even before last September, a two-man widebody crew over the Atlantic mistakenly entered a "bad code" into their transponder (after somehow misunderstanding a controller's statement) and their airline's dispatchers and company upper mgmt concluded that there were bad guys onboard....and so it went.

Once people on the ground assume that there is trouble onboard (at least in the olden days), it might be difficult to persuade folks that things are normal, until you land and the "SWAT" teams, with NATO 7.62 mm rounds in the chambers, standby to spring onboard like a boomslang which smells bird eggs.

Remember, that happened in the good old days. Pass me more rijstafel, als 't'u blieft.

[Gladiator]

For the purpose of security it is best not to discuss details here. However CNN really does not know and I think it is best if they don't.

The incident most probably involved a password as opposed to a transponder code. Each flight is assigned a secret password. You get one chance to communicate the password on initial contact and in the proper sequence, etc. If not it is an automatic fighter escort fully armed with AAM.