Washington (CNN) -- Acting by the apply of an climate traffic master, the pilot of a Southwest Airlines B-737 plucked within one-tenth of a mile of a small, four-seat helicopter final month apt retard aboard pilot of the smaller aircraft, who had no answered to radio calls, the National Transportation Safety Board said Friday.
The March 27 incident was publicized days later it happened, when Federal Aviation Administrator Randy Babbitt suspended the air traffic controller, for "compromising the safety" of the planes' occupants. But the details unlocked Friday for the premier period show equitable how close the 2 planes came.
According to the NTSB, the planes came within 0.1 miles of each additional, distant closer then the required disconnection of 3 miles. They likewise were separated along 100 feet in top, less than the 1,000 feet necessary, the NTSB reported.
The incident happened 11,
dr dre beats,000 feet over chief Florida, when controllers at the Central Florida TRACON, a regional radar facility, were unsuccessful in contacting the pilot of the Cirrus SR22, which was en route to Kissimmee, Florida. The plane had been out of radio contact with the Jacksonville Center for more than an hour.
A TRACON controller sought the alms of Southwest Airlines flight 821, which was then 10 miles from the smaller aircraft, asking the Southwest pilot "to attempt to validate the condition of the occupants" of the Cirrus, the NTSB said. The Southwest pilot "necessitated," and controllers guided the jetliner towards the unresponsive plane. A separate radar range was set up and a unattached frequency was used by a front-line manager who provided instructions to the Southwest jet.
When the Southwest spurt was approximately five miles from the smaller plane, the pilot reported penetrating the plane visually and on a collision avoidance system. The jet "maneuvered on his own alongside of" the smaller plane, the NTSB said.
The team reported seeing "two occupants in the Cirrus and no perceptible movement from them" before being vectored away to its Orlando destination.
The FAA said both planes landed safely. Southwest Airlines reported in March that it had suspended the pilot of the jetliner pending an inquiry.
Both the FAA and NTSB are investigating. Neither has published any findings or conclusions.
Aviation authorities say the protocol for intercepting unresponsive aircraft is to scramble military jets.
"By placing this passenger aircraft in close proximity to another plane, the air traffic controller compromised the safety of everyone comprised," FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said in a statement in March.
"This incident was totally inappropriate." "We are reiterating the air traffic procedures accustom here and production sure everyone understands the protocols because adjoining unresponsive aircraft," Babbitt said.
Southwest Airlines said the flight had 137 tourists and a crew of five.
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