Safety Recommendation A-22-004

-From Christopher J. Rocheleau, Acting Administrator: The FAA believes 14 CFR Part 91, along with the current Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) guidance, currently provides the effective communication requirements for both Instrument Flight Rules and Visual Flight Rules, which include communication requirements with air traffic control. Additionally, the AIM provides specific guidance for operations to, from, and near uncontrolled airports, including the use of CTAFs.

Revising the communication requirements of aircraft operators in uncontrolled airspace and near uncontrolled airports, as is the case in Soldotna, Alaska, along with most Alaskan rural areas, is unnecessary at this time and would involve significant rulemaking changes impacting the national airspace system.

The 14 CFR Part 91 regulations are available at the following website:

https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/BC3EDEE9F4EAA28C86256EEB00519374.0001

The AIM guidance is available at the following website: https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/aim_html/chap4_section_1.html

We note that you have established a safety workgroup that has been meeting regularly to address these recommendations. Specifically, the workgroup has been working to establish additional CTAF areas in Alaska and to identify standardized position-reporting locations that will appear on navigation charts. We also note that a safety risk management panel will be assessing the CTAF boundary changes to determine if they will create any potential safety risks that need to be mitigated.

We are encouraged by the workgroup’s accomplishments thus far; however, we point out that Safety Recommendation A-22-5 also asks you to designate one frequency that is associated with all nontowered airports within the geographical boundaries of CTAF areas and, in addition to defining position-reporting locations, to define reporting requirements within these areas. We also point out that Safety Recommendation A-22-4 asks you to require pilots to monitor and communicate their positions on the designated CTAF when entering and exiting dedicated CTAF areas and near established reporting points and airport traffic patterns within the CTAF area.

We would like to know what the FAA is doing to address these concerns. Pending our receipt and review of this information and completion of the recommended actions, Safety Recommendations A-22-4 and -5 remain classified OPEN-- ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE.

-From Kathryn B. Thomson, Deputy Administrator: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) established a safety workgroup composed of government and industry stakeholders from the local Alaska community, which convenes monthly to address these two safety recommendations. The workgroup accomplished the following:

• Assessed the potential pros and cons of modifying the CTAF within the region of concern;

• Produced a CTAF proposal that encompasses the northwestern Kenai Peninsula;

• Collaborated with stakeholders to identify standardized reporting points that will appear on navigation charts; and

• Worked with media development specialists to produce outreach materials to make stakeholders aware of the pending CTAF change, which includes interactive briefings.

The FAA will schedule a safety risk management panel next to assess any potential safety risks associated with the CTAF boundary changes and establish mitigations where necessary. The goal is to complete these safety recommendations by May 31, 2024, and if successful, to assess other regions within Alaska that would benefit from modified CTAF boundaries.

I will keep the Board informed of the FAA’s progress on Safety Recommendations A-22-4 and -5 and anticipate providing an update by August 31, 2024.

We note that you are evaluating your existing policies and guidance on this topic, establishing a team of subject matter experts, and working towards identifying additional CTAF locations that may pose a high risk of midair collisions. Pending our review of the findings from your evaluation and the completion of the recommended actions, Safety Recommendations A-22-4 and -5 are classified OPEN--ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE.

-From Billy Nolen, Acting Administrator: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will evaluate existing agency policies and guidance to determine the larger scope of work necessary to fully respond to these safety recommendations, in addition to the following actions:

• Establish a team of subject matter experts to study the feasibility of requiring pilots to monitor and communicate their positions on the designated CTAF when entering and exiting dedicated CTAF areas throughout Alaska and near established geographical reporting points and airport traffic patterns within the CTAF areas.

• In collaboration with local flying organizations, the FAA will also work towards identifying additional CTAF locations that may pose a high risk of midair collisions and develop mitigation strategies to reduce the potential for midair collisions and improve aviation safety.

I will keep the Board informed of our progress on these recommendations A-22-4 and -5, and anticipate providing an update by June 30, 2023.

The attached letter from the NTSB Chair provides information about the NTSB’s February 22, 2022, report Require Common Traffic Advisory Frequency Areas in Alaska, NTSB/AIR-22-03. The details of this accident investigation and the resulting safety recommendations may be found in the attached report, which can also be accessed at http://www.ntsb.gov.

The NTSB is vitally interested in these recommendations because they are designed to prevent accidents and save lives. We would appreciate a response within 90 days of the date of this letter, detailing the actions you have taken or intend to take to implement these recommendations. When replying, please refer to the safety recommendations by number (for example, A-22-4 and A-22-5).

We encourage you to submit your response to ExecutiveSecretariat@ntsb.gov. If your reply exceeds 20 megabytes, including attachments, please e mail us at the same address for instructions on how to send larger documents. Please do not submit both an electronic copy and a hard copy of the same response.

This letter provides information about the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) February 22, 2022, report Require Common Traffic Advisory Frequency Areas in Alaska, NTSB/AIR-22-03. The details of this accident investigation and the resulting safety recommendations may be found in the attached report, which can also be accessed at http://www.ntsb.gov.

As a result of this investigation, we identified the following safety issues:

• The lack of communication requirements for areas where one common traffic advisory frequency has been established. • The lack of one common traffic advisory frequency in areas with multiple airports or scenic landmarks, and the resulting risk for midair collisions.

Accordingly, the NTSB makes the following safety recommendations to the FAA:

• Require all pilots to monitor and communicate their positions on the designated common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) when entering and exiting dedicated CTAF areas throughout Alaska, as well as near established reporting points and airport traffic patterns within the CTAF area, unless already communicating with air traffic control.