The air traffic controller involved in the radio silence incident at Reagan National Airport fell asleep as planes approached the airport for landing, the National Transportation Safety Board says.
The controller, who had 20 years experience, 17 of those at Reagan, told officials he had fallen asleep for a period of time while on duty, according to an NTSB statement. The controller was working his fourth consecutive overnight shift (10p-6a.) The NTSB says it has opened an investigation.
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I just want to throw it out there that MANY airports in the US are uncontrolled at all times. Many controlled airpoirts are only controlled during the day. I was flying in the pattern at Trent Lott Intl in Pascagoula, Miss when their tower closed. There were 6 planes in the landing pattern. Guess what?! Nobody crashed. No one was endangered. I'm not excusing the controllers behavior, but in this case there was no endangerment of lives.
What this article lacks is the context of 4th consecutive overnight shift... After reading "Secrets from the Tower", I learned that ATCs don't always work the same shift week to week. It's a huge liability in my opinion. Just because the hours work for labor regulations and your computer program, doesn't mean they work for actual humans.
They should give him some slack. But unfortunately because the MEDIA has nothing better to report other than a guy falling asleep on the job, he will most likely to be fired. I would like to take this time and pray for him and his family and give a HUGE round of applause for the media to cover a story so dumb. What are you trying to blind us from this time MEDIA???? But then again I am commenting on this story which fuels their relentless, ruthless fire. I wish all the journalists that have sworn on camera "live" to be fired. They should cover their mistakes before others that have REAL jobs. Anderson Cooper your exempt from this comment.
We are talking about a major airport, not some out of the way grass strip. One controller sounds really wrong.
That said, everyone on here who thinks they know exactly whom to blame, based on one CNN article, you should hold your thoughts. Maybe there was a lapse in management that got him in the tower alone, maybe he neglected to get the proper rest, maybe other factors are at work, we don't know. Someone needs to address what happens, but I doubt that anyone posting here knows enough to speak a word about what that is.
20 years without making a mistake is pretty good. The real mistake is not having a backup working with him.
If you work hard, they barely compensate you. But once you get caught off guard, it's all on you. His boss wouldn't take responsibility, they still expect him to perform at 200% at the 4th consecutive nights. Humans need rest. Go train more people instead of complaining, no jobs, no money, no skilled labor. All of these can be solved.
Odd that he fell asleep in the airport named after the president that killed the Air Traffic Controllers Union. Well read about the dumb kids coming out of Wisconsin in 20 years I guess.
That's what happens when supervisors don't do their jobs. Their just passing the buck to this poor guy.
He was a supervisor not a controller
There should have been a MINIMUM two people PERIOD...
This is what happens when the Company CUT's the budget on safety...
Well , At least we know HE was not snorting any cocaine to stay awake. Now lets check everybody else.
Cut him some slack! He might have just passed out from too much drinking.
"On September 3, 2006 the FAA ceased negotiations with NATCA officials and legally imposed their contract terms on Air Traffic Controllers nationwide. These new terms, which included pay cuts for new controllers and the freezing of current air traffic controllers’ salaries, as well as a sharp change in the working conditions, have had a huge impact on the air traffic controllers".
Seems like this case is as a result of cutting union rights....less staff so they overwork the staff they have. This poor guy was probably working extra hours. Doesn't this sound like what the Repugs are doing the midwestern states. Just wait...the chickens will come home to roost. Eventually someone will burn up in a fire, get killed in a robbery because of no responders are available. Or worst yet...kids will get passed over because there are 50 childeren in a class room with one teacher. All because the Repugs want to elliminate collective bargaining.
Bruce On September 1st 2006 Scott Walker is elected head of the FAA.
Had you read the story, you'd know he was in the beginning of an 8-hour shift after 16 hours of rest. The airport had 2 landings in 15 minutes, which means there was absolutely no need for a tower controller at all.
again he was a supervisor not a controller.
Guess how a Tower Controller is like a pilot?
If a pilot screws up, the pilot dies.
If a Tower Controller screws up, the pilot dies.
Hilarious, huh? I have no sympathy for this guy.
Navybat He ran out of his navy issued PEP pills.
We don't know why he fell asleep. What if he has a previously undiagnosed medical condition?
And Leons getting LARrrrrGerr... Striker Striker Strike her! *punch*
sounds like something Ronald himself would do,he wasn`t munching on jelly bellies too was he ?