NTSB -- NTSB RELEASES PRELIMINARY REPORTS ON TWO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL INCIDENTS UNDER INVESTIGATION

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NTSB ADVISORY

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National Transportation Safety Board

Washington, DC 20594

April 22, 2011

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NTSB RELEASES PRELIMINARY REPORTS ON TWO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL

INCIDENTS UNDER INVESTIGATION

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Today, the National Transportation Safety Board released

preliminary reports on two air traffic control incident

investigations.

On April 18, 2011, at 5:06 p.m. EDT, a Boeing 737 inbound

for landing on runway 19L at Andrews Air Force Base was

vectored too close to a C-17 military plane traveling ahead

of it. The B737, which was carrying First Lady Michelle

Obama and Mrs. Biden, the wife of Vice President Joe Biden,

was directed to abort its landing after the required minimum

separation between it and the C-17 was compromised. The

preliminary report is available at http://go.usa.gov/bOu

On March 27, 2011, at 5:02 pm EDT, Southwest Airlines flight

821, a Boeing 737 from Phoenix to Orlando was requested by

an air traffic controller at Central Florida Terminal Radar

Approach Control (TRACON) to attempt to make a visual

identification and assessment of the occupants of a nearby

Cirrus SR22, a general aviation aircraft that was not in

radio contact (NORDO) with controllers. The two planes came

within approximately 100 feet and 0.1 miles of each other.

The preliminary report is available at http://go.usa.gov/bOH

The preliminary reports provide factual information related

to the event; analysis of the incident, along with a

determination of probable cause, will come at a later date

when the investigations are completed.

RELATED MEDIA ADVISORIES

Announcement of investigation of April 18 air traffic

control incident near Andrews Air Force Base:

http://go.usa.gov/bOs

Announcement of investigation of March 27 air traffic

control incident over Florida: http://go.usa.gov/bOo

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NTSB Media Contact: Peter Knudson

peter.knudson@xxxxxxxx

202-314-6100

twitter.com/ntsb

youtube.com/ntsbgov

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