How to Keep Controllers from Killing You: Lessons from the Denver Near Miss

A couple of weeks ago controllers at Denver International made what the FAA is calling a mistake (and it sure sounds that way to us) when they gave a Republic Airways regional jet arriving at DIA a heading that required it to turn back through the flight path of a SkyWest RJ that was also on approach. The resultant turn brought the two RJs into very close proximity, and the jets were forced to take evasive action when their TCAS systems commanded it. The good news: the collision was avoided and I'm writing about a near miss and not a tragedy.

Without going into great detail, the incident seems to have been caused by the controller clearing the Republic RJ direct to a waypoint it had already passed. The republic pilots questioned the clearance but reports are that it was repeated and the pilots complied, bringing their jet into direct conflict with the SkyWest RJ. A third jet also lost legal separation but was much further way and didn't have to take evasive action.

The incident brings up a couple of very important points for all pilots but especially those who are learning the ropes at busy airports.

First, controllers are human. As much as a few of them act like little demagogues--and we all, unfortunately, know those guys--they make mistakes and we need to be aware of that.

An approach controller and a tower controller once unwittingly worked together to almost get me killed. I was on arrival at Sikorsky Airport in Bridgeport, CT, (BDR) with the New York controller when he advised me he was going to "stay with me" a while longer because there was traffic arriving there (a Gulfstream G4) and he wanted to monitor the separation. Nice. But the handoff to the BDR tower controller apparently didn't include the information that I was already on downwind by the time I went to tower, so the tower guy told me to "enter on a 45" for left downwind. I advised him that I was on downwind but he, maybe not understanding, repeated his instruction. I turned right to leave the pattern and enter on a 45 (a stupid thing to have done without further clarification) and saw the G4 on downwind a couple hundred yards away but, thankfully, 500 feet above. (Hey, that rule does make sense.) By the time the controller figured out what had happened, he was mad at me, but only briefly, after realizing his mistake, and he just let it go, which was, I'm sure, a smart move considering that no one had anything to gain there. 

But I learned some important lessons. Know what the controller knows and doesn't.  In this case, BDR didn't have radar, so the controller wasn't seeing me on his screen, because he didn't have one. In his mind I was where traffic arriving in that sector always ways, several miles out in perfect position to enter on a 45 for downwind. Only I wasn't. Had I been more aware and experienced, I would have insisted that I was not in a position to make a 45 for downwind.

And also, be willing to stand up for what you're right about. In the case of the Denver near-miss, the pilot should have questioned the clearance not once but twice. A 180-degree turn to a fix you've already passed on arrival makes no sense whatsoever unless the controller makes it clear that it's an out-of-the-ordinary clearance.

Controllers make mistakes, admittedly, a lot fewer than pilots do. And we need to vigilant about that possibility. If something doesn't make sense to you, ask. There are controllers, too many of them, who will give you a hard time about asking, but that's their problem. A good controller wants to make sure you understand the clearance and, if there's a problem with it, that he knows that too.

By Robert Goyer

Comments

[Frank C]

Good advice. If you have situational awareness, it's often very clear when another voice on the radio in your area doesn't.

[Joel Godston]

Good LESSON....but remember the POC is the PILOT-IN-COMMAND; and we MUST make sure we have our head on a swivel; especially in, and near, traffic patterns at ALL airports

[Doug Crowe]

Excellent. Given the choice between admonished or dead, I'll take the heat of an angry controller any day.

[tj]

yep!

[Grant Besley]

Humans will always err. Bet the FAA cited the controller and didn't fix the system that caused the error.

[Richard Schnedl]

As a controller at the 5th busiest airport in the country, I agree that situational awareness and being steadfast in your convictions as a PIC is of utmost importance. However, I take offense at your demeaning and condescending attitude toward controllers in this article. First not all pilots are aware AT ALL of their surroundings. They think they are the ONLY aircraft in the sky or at the airport. Not to mention the amount of low time pilots or pilots unfamiliar to the area that are flying in and around high time experienced pilots. Also, it is not a Near-Miss, that would be a HIT. It is a Near-Midair. If you are going to write for a national magazine, please use the correct terminology.

[Clive Roberts]

Always good to review difficult circumstances.
Thank you to all the ATC staff.
Flying the L.A. area daily reinforces to me how demanding that job is.

[Neil Archer]

I always felt that flying was a team sport. Every good team knows what each member on that team is doing, it is the same with flying the more congestion means paying close attention to your team mates. I have never known a good team that succeed by trying to shift responsibility. If a member lags it is up to the rest of the team to pickup the slack and keep going.

[Kelly Beerman]

As a pilot whose home base is in a not so busy airport (KBLI), I alos aggree that constant situational awareness is critical. Hoever, I take offense at controllers - like Richard Schnedl, above (his comment posted 12.10.09, 9:47AM)who think they know what pilots think or know - ow or high time. Before you critize this article, I would ask you to re-read it, and notcie the admission that controllers make alot few mistakes than pilots do.

Such cut and pasting to make a commentary, Richard, points out to an ego that should not be in the control tower, and to one that sounds like to me, not a team player.

[Mike]

This is a team sport and egos from either side can get you killed.I fly with a lot of low time pilots.I don't know any who approach any airport thinking they are alone up there.I do think they should question any instruction they don't understand.I also dont understand the punishment side of aviation.From the lowest time pilot or controller to the one retiring tomorrow we all strive to be as professional as we can.If we make mistakes they should be examined to ferret out the problem.So far for me the score is 0/0 and I will try to keep it that way.....MIke

[Tony Brennan]

Certainly the onus is on the PIC to take responsibility for 'being in the know', challenging questionable clearances, and intelligent anticipation. Thorough prep, whether pre-flight or pre-landing builds the confidence to exercise the above. It is all too easy, particularly at busy centers, to relax our vigilance and assume ATC will take responsibility for that which the FAR clearly states is ours as PIC.

[Peter]

I agree with the previous post by controller Richard.

Perhaps I am obnoxious here, but it just drives me nuts when I see incorrect use of English.

I know that this term is very widely used, BUT there is no such thing as "NEAR MISS"! Logically, near miss equals a HIT! Just think about it. They might wanted to say "close miss", because those planes missed each other very closely, close call.

The correct term should be "NEAR HIT".

And yes, I fully agree, PIC's primary responsibility, aside from flying the plane is situational awareness. Sadly, the same applies to our roads. Most of the accidents are caused by absolute lack of situational awareness by drivers!

[Alvin Merculief]

Perhaps the amount of time an air traffic controller works each month should be regulated by law as well. People lose their lives when bad mistakes are made, lets just learn from these articles and pay very very close attention.

[Billy the Kid]

The point is communication...we all know what a near-miss is. How confusing if the contoller told us he was re-routing us to avoid a close-hit!!
I am as blind as that poor controller directing the 45 degree entry into downwind... I am a low time pilot flying in a busy metro area and I try to comply with ATC's terse commands. He is usually issuing another command to another pilot and I would have to step on his transmission to question him.

[The Pathfinder]

As a commercial pilot (former certified tower & approach controller), I can attest to the need for a team mentality. In the last year, I have observed more systems errors & deviations, on the part of ATC, but knowing both sides of the coin, I have done my part to keep the system safe. We are all aware of what problems the ATC is experiencing, but this is no excuse, with aviation safety so (negatively) visible in the media. Speak up, after all, who dies if a controller errors? I suggest pilots study the 7110.65, the Air Traffic Controller Manual and CPCs study the FARs to gain perspective into both worlds. As for those controllers who think the pilots are there for them, need I say ‘no pilots - no need for controllers, no controllers there will still be pilots”?

[Dave Albright]

Back in the 60's going into DCA at pitch black night.
Control says keep your speed up !
Brake out from IMC and see a green light 90 degrees to the right and a red to the left. I think Oh no I'm on the back of an Airliner.
Pull up very slowly so as not to hit his tail and slow up to get in line to land.
Flying was so much fun for 43 yrs.
Capt.Dave

[Veeder South IV]

Yes, good advice. It seems like it is the smaller fields without radar where you can really run into trouble. A number of years ago I was flying into San Louis Obispo airport in CA VFR and arrived near the pattern at the same time as another small aircraft. He ended up being about 50 or less feet below me, but neither of us saw the other until we were right on top of each other. The tower controller figured it out when we both reported being over a fix at about the same time. In that case, it was the controller who saved my bacon and immediately ordered the other plane to widen his downwind leg.

[Victoria Croston]

Flying in 2 Class B airspace airports (Houston and Dallas) should be required for all pilots. The controllers involved with both of these fine airports (Approach, Tower and Center) are the best in the country. (and friendliest!) However, this scenario, although never experienced by me, is definitely food for thought. How easily we can get complacent when our regular flights here are without incident with these great ladies and gents. You can be sure I will remember this article and be even more aware when approaching airports in any airspace. I thank you.

[Pilotbill]

I don't know about anyone else, but when a bullet flys by my head, it is a NEAR MISS, not a NEAR HIT.

[Paul de Salaberry]

I suppose it's a "Near Miss", as opposed to "Missed by a Mile". It may not be the best choice of English, but it is well understood by anyone who hears it, that it was a "Close Call". Meanwhile, a "Near Hit" makes just as little sense. For it to be a hit, it must make contact. Even a micron off, guess what? NO HIT!
Meanwhile, we need to learn the lesson taught by the incident, which is that some controllers occasionally make mistakes, and much less frequently mistakes which result in disaster. However, it's only us pilots (and/or our passengers) who might pay the supreme price if and when they do.