Air Traffic Controller Distraction Nearly Causes Collision in San Diego: NTSB Report

Washington, Oct 1 (AP) - Investigators have revealed that a private jet narrowly avoided a collision with a Southwest Airlines plane at San Diego's airport two years ago due to air traffic controllers becoming distracted in the control tower.

This revelation comes from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which released its final report on the August 2023 incident this Tuesday.

The NTSB found that both the controller managing the planes and their supervisor made poor decisions that diverted their attention from the landing procedures. The risk of tragedy was averted thanks to the airport’s automated system, which tracks ground-level aircraft and vehicles. This system alerted the controller to the impending conflict, allowing the private jet to abort its landing and circle the airport safely before finally landing.

The incident highlights growing concerns about aviation safety, particularly following the deadliest crash in decades in the U.S., where an airliner collided with an Army helicopter. This is among a series of crashes and near misses that have raised alarms.

Just months before, in June, an Air India plane tragically crashed shortly after takeoff, resulting in the deaths of all but one of its 242 passengers and an additional 29 on the ground.

According to the NTSB, the San Diego incident was exacerbated by the poor judgment of the controller overseeing the landings. The controller chose to contact a regional FAA radar facility to correct the altitude of another aircraft unrelated to the approaching business jet, a decision they later admitted was a mistake.

The distraction extended to the controller’s supervisor, who, instead of monitoring the situation, became preoccupied with troubleshooting a malfunctioning printer used by the controllers. The report mentions that the supervisor opted to fix the printer rather than switching to a backup, further diverting attention from crucial landing operations.

Fortunately, San Diego airport is equipped with advanced surface radar systems, installed at 35 major airports across the U.S. by the FAA. This technology played a critical role in preventing a disaster by acting as an additional safety layer. (AP) NPK NPK

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