Double Collision Risks

ATC Audio-Video

Approach Collision Risks http://youtu.be/sSZq3p18d1o

UPDATED

AUG 7, 2012

FAA
MEMORANDUM

Date: AUG 07, 2012

This incident should not have happened.
Investigation reconfirmed that at no point were the aircraft on a head-to-head course and the aircraft remained at different altitudes.
Initial information indicated that the miscommunication occurred when the TRACON and Tower were turning the flow of traffic at the airport due to bad weather developing south of the airport.
As the investigation has continued, it has concluded that management's intention at the TRACON was initially only to turn the direction of a series of arrivals.
Only after the loss of separation events, was the flow of traffic at the airport turned completely.

Separately, the FAA interviewed the pilot of inbound Republic 3329  who had reported LOW FUEL to the Tower and found that the aircraft did have adequate fuel, and, in fact, upon landing had more fuel than the FAA regulations require as a reserve.
The procedure used for this series of arrival involved opposite direction operations.

These operations occur when an arrival or a departure is cleared to use a runway end that is opposite from the established flow of the airport. These procedures are used at DCA and at airports around the country in a variety of situations including noise mitigation and cargo operations.

While this procedure encompasses many of the same elements as turning the flow of an airport, there is no standard protocol in place, and FAA believe this contributed to the miscommunication.

FAA has initiated a temporary suspension on opposite direction operations at commercial airports until detailed procedures can be developed, trained and implemented. Although most air traffic facilities have detailed procedures for runway changeoperations, procedures for opposite direction arrivals and departures are not standard.

Air traffic controllers cleared two planes to take off on one runway while a third plane was on approach toward them and had been cleared to land on the same runway, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The reason apparently was a “miscommunication” with air traffic controllers, the F.A.A. said.

Controladores de tráfego aéreo autorizaram dois aviões decolarem numa pista enquanto um terceiro avião estava em aproximação em direção a eles e tinha sido liberado para pouso na mesma pista, de acordo com a FAA. A razão aparentemente foi uma  “comunicação errônea”  com controladores de tráfego aéreo, disse o FAA.

The episode happened at about 2 p.m. Tuesday, and involved three US Airways regional jets carrying a total of 192 passengers and crew members. No one was hurt.
O episódio aconteceu por volta das 2 horas da tarde. Terça-feira, e envolveu três jatos regionais da US Airways carregando um total de 192 passageiros e membros de trupulação. Ninguém foi ferido.

The first plane taking off came within 0.82 miles of the arriving plane and the second one came within 2.7 miles, according to Michael Huerta, the F.A.A.’s acting administrator. The two departing planes and the incoming jet were 800 feet above or below one another, he said.

O primeiro avião decolando aproximou-se dentro de 1,5 Km do avião chegando e o segundo avião aproximou-se dentro de 5 Km, de acordo com Michael Huerta, o administrador da FAA. Os dois aviões partindo e o jato chegando estiveram 800 pés acima ou abaixo um dos outros, ele disse.

The episode occurred after an F.A.A. regional center changed runway flows because of bad weather developing south of the airport, which is in Arlington, Va., across the Potomac from Washington. Planes were directed to land to the north of the runway instead of to the south.

O episódio ocorreu após um Centro [de Controle de Tráfego Aéreo] regional da FAA ter mudado o fluxo de pista por causa de mau tempo em desenvolvimento ao Sul do aeroporto, o qual está em Alington, Virginia, em frente ao [rio] Potomac em Washington. Os aviões estavam direcionados para pouso na pista 01 em vez da pista 19.