The lone air traffic controller on duty the morning Comair Flight 5181 crashed cleared the jet for takeoff, then turned his back to do some “administrative duties” as the aircraft veered down the wrong runway, a federal investigator said Tuesday. The FAA admits to violating their own policy by having only one air traffic controller on duty at that time.
The air traffic controller had an unobstructed view of the runways and had cleared the aircraft for takeoff from the longer runway, said National Transportation Safety Board member Debbie Hersman.
Then, “he turned his back to perform administrative duties,” Hersman said. “At that point, he was doing a traffic count.”
Earlier Tuesday, the Federal Aviation Administration acknowledged violating its own policies when it assigned only one controller to the airport tower that morning. The policy is outlined in a 2005 directive requiring that control tower observations and radar approach operations be handled separately.
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The counting down to the number 1 aviation story of the year continues with number 5. #5: Oil Prices. Oil prices hit an all time high this summer topping US$72 a barrel. That meant that aviation fuel sky rocketed... [Read More]
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