NTSB · Safety Recommendation
Safety Recommendation A-97-117
Recommendation
THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE DOD: DEVELOP A FORMAL TRAINING PLAN THAT WOULD EDUCATE MILITARY PILOTS ON ALL TRAFFIC ALERT & COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM CHARACTERISTICS & THAT WOULD DESCRIBE ACTIONS WHICH WOULD GENERATE A TRAFFIC ALERT & COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM (TCAS) ALERT & MEANS TO AVOID AN ACTIVATION.
Safety Issue and Context
ON 2/5/97, AT 1345 EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST), A U.S. AIR NATIONAL GUARD F-16 OPERATING IN A WARNING AREA (W107) OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN INTERCEPTED NATIONS AIR FLIGHT 70 (NAE70), A BOEING 727 (B-727), THAT WAS TRAVERSING THE AREA. THE PROXIMITY OF THE F-16 TO THE B-727 ACTIVATED ITS TRAFFIC ALERT & COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM (TCAS), WHICH INSTRUCTED THE NAE70 FLIGHTCREW TO EXECUTE A DESCENT, FOLLOWED BY TWO SEPARATE INSTRUCTIONS TO CLIMB. NAE70 WAS OPERATING ON AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULE (IFR) FLIGHT PLAN UNDER 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 121, AS CHARTERED FLIGHT FROM SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO TO THE JOHN F. KENNEDY AIRPORT, NEW YORK.
THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE 77 PASSENGER & 7 CREWMEMBERS.
Response History
January 11, 2000 · NTSB Correspondence · United States Department of War
BECAUSE THIS ACTION MEETS THE INTENT OF A-97-117, IT IS CLASSIFIED "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION."
July 29, 1998 · Recipient Response · United States Department of War
IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT, ALL MILITARY DEPARTMENTS CONDUCTED ORIENTATION PROGRAMS FOR PILOTS AND CONTROLLERS TO ENSURE THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF TCAS CHARACTERISTICS. TCAS HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE PILOT TRAINING SYLLABUS, BOTH INITIAL AND REFRESHER, FOR ALL MILITARY DEPARTMENTS.
May 18, 1998 · NTSB Correspondence · United States Department of War
WE NOTE THAT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO THE MILITARY DEPARTMENTS FOR REVIEW & COMMENTS CONCERNING THEIR IMPLEMENTATION. PENDING A RESPONSE ON THE RESULTS OF THIS REVIEW, A-97-114 THROUGH -120 ARE CLASSIFIED "OPEN--AWAIT RESPONSE."
February 5, 1998 · Recipient Response · United States Department of War
(Letter Mail Controlled 2/10/98 6:52:46 AM MC# 980140) I REFER TO THE NTSB INVESTIGATION OF THE REGRETTABLE ENCOUNTER ON 2/5/97, BETWEEN NATIONS AIR FLIGHT 70 & A U.S. AIR NATIONAL GUARD F-16. RECOMMENDATIONS A-97-114 THROUGH 120 HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO THE MILITARY DEPARTMENT FOR REVIEW & COMMENTS CONCERNING THEIR IMPLEMENTATION. THE DOD IS FIRMLY COMMITTED TO INSURING THE SECURITY & SAFETY OF ITS PERSONNEL & OF THE PUBLIC. MODERN TECHNOLOGY CLEARLY OFFERS MANY PATHWAYS TO IMPROVE AVIATION SAFETY THAT WE SHOULD EXPLOIT WHEREVER POSSIBLE. I DEEPLY APPRECIATE THE CONSIDERABLE EFFORTS EXPENDED BY YOU & YOUR COLLEAGUES TO IMPROVE CIVIL & MILITARY AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PRACTICES.