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| <p>On April 3, 1998, about 0821 eastern standard time, US Airways flight 920 (USA920), a McDonnell-Douglas DC-9, and Air Canada flight 703 (ACA703), an Airbus Industries A-319, nearly collided above the intersection of runways 22 and 31 at LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Flushing, New York. Both aircraft were scheduled passenger flights; USA920, as a domestic carrier, was operating under 14 CFR Part 121, and ACA703, as a foreign air carrier, was operating under 14 CFR Part 129 while in U.S. airspace. The incident occurred in visual meteorological conditions, and no injuries were reported.</p> |
| <p>On January 23, 1998, about 1819 eastern standard time, US Airways flight 1186 (USA1186), a Boeing 737, and American Airlines flight 350 (AAL350), a McDonnell-Douglas MD-80 nearly collided at the intersection of LGA runways 4 and 13. The reported weather was ceiling 600 feet and visibility 2 miles. According to an NMAC report filed by the captain of USA1186, his aircraft was on a 2.5 mile final for an instrument landing system approach to runway 13 when the local controller cleared AAL350 for takeoff from runway 4. The USA1186 captain reported that AAL350 did not pass through the intersection of runways 4 and 13 until after USA1186 had crossed the runway 13 threshold. The runway 13 threshold is 1,700 feet from the intersection with runway 4 or 7.5 seconds flying time at an estimated approach speed of 135 knots. (Runway Incursion; runway safety)</p> |
| <p>A‑00-34. Amend Federal Aviation Administration Order 7110.65, "Air Traffic Control," to require that controllers provide traffic advisories to the flight crew of each aircraft operating on intersecting runways where flightpaths converge. </p> |
| <p>FAA LTR DTD: 9/6/00</p> |
| <p>Air traffic controllers currently exchange traffic information on and around the airport. As a result of the nine regional runway safety workshops and the national summit on runway safety, the FAA will form a working group to review existing phraseology, which will include traffic advisories. It is anticipated that the working group will complete its review by December 2000.</p> |
| <p>I will inform the Board of the FAA's action to address this safety recommendation after the working group completes its work.</p> |
| <p>NTSB LTR DTD: 3/9/01</p> |
| <p>The FAA states that air traffic controllers currently exchange traffic information on and around the airport and that the AIM currently informs pilots that controllers issue traffic information to the maximum extent consistent with higher priority duties. The Safety Board notes that the investigation of the incidents that prompted this recommendation showed that no traffic information was issued until evasive maneuvers had to be taken. To address these recommendations, the FAA states that it will form a working group to review phraseology, including traffic advisories.</p> |
| <p>The Safety Board is concerned that the FAA may not understand the intent of these recommendations. The safety recommendations ask that traffic advisories be mandatory for aircraft operating on intersecting runways where flightpaths converge. Currently these advisories are optional. The FAA plans to address these recommendations by forming a working group to review phraseology. However, the recommendations do not concern phraseology; they concern procedural issues. Pending the recommended amendments to Order 7110.65 and the AIM, Safety Recommendations A‑00‑34 and A‑00‑35 are classified "Open Unacceptable Response."</p> |
| <p>FAA LTR DTD: 10/4/01 </p> |
| <p>To reduce runway surface incidents, the FAA formed a work group representing a diverse cross‑section from the aviation community. The work group is tasked to review both procedures and associated phraseology and to improve bycondensing, modifying, or eliminating extraneous verbiage without compromising safety. The group will specifically address traffic advisories as they apply to intersecting runways.</p> |
| <p>It was anticipated that the work group would complete its review by December 2000. However, due to coordinating and scheduling difficulties the work group did not meet until April 2001. The group has since met in May and June and plans to complete the review in October.</p> |
| <p>I will inform the Board of the outcome of the work group's efforts by December 2001.</p> |
| <p>NTSB LTR DTD: 12/26/01</p> |
| <p>On September 6, 2000, the FAA stated that, to address these recommendations, it would form a working group to review phraseology, including traffic advisories. In its March 9, 2001, response, the Safety Board stated that it was concerned that the FAA did not understand the intent of these recommendations. The recommendations do not concern phraseology; they concern the procedural issues of making traffic advisories mandatory for aircraft operating on intersecting runways where flightpaths converge. At that time, the Board classified Safety Recommendations A‑00‑34 and ‑35 "Open Unacceptable Response." The FAA now reports that the working group is tasked to review and improve both procedures and associated phraseology by condensing, modifying, or eliminating extraneous verbiage without compromising safety. The FAA states that the group will specifically address traffic advisories as they apply to intersecting runways.</p> |
| <p>The Safety Board appreciates the clarification provided by the FAA in its October 4, 2001, letter, regarding the group's work to address procedural issues, specifically traffic advisories that apply to intersecting runways. Pending the results of the working group and the recommended amendments to Order 7110.65 and the AIM, Safety Recommendations A‑00‑34 and ‑35 are classified "Open Acceptable Response."</p> |
| <p>FAA LTR DTD: 7/11/02</p> |
| <p>To reduce runway surface incidents, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) formed a work group representing a diverse cross‑section from the aviation community. The work group was tasked to review both procedures and associated phraseology and to improve bycondensing, modifying, or eliminating extraneous verbiage without compromising safety. The group specifically addressed traffic advisories as they apply to intersecting runways.</p> |
| <p>The recommendations from the work group have been reviewed. It has been determined that an amendment requiring controllers to provide traffic advisories to the flightcrew of each aircraft operating on intersecting runways where flightpaths converge is not warranted for the following reasons. For operations on intersecting runways, the aircraft are staggered to provide for the appropriate runway separation. In the event of simultaneous missed approaches the control tower would provide visual separation until another method of separation could be achieved. Also, FAA Order 7110.65, paragraph 2‑1‑21, Traffic Advisories, states that controllers will issue traffic advisories to "all aircraft (IFR and VFR) on your frequency when, in your judgment, their proximity may diminish to less than the applicable separation minima." The FAA believes that the current procedures are acceptable, and additional requirements are not warranted.</p> |
| <p>I believe that these procedures meet the full intent of this safety recommendation, and I consider the FAA's action to be completed.</p> |
| <p>NTSB LTR DTD: 12/4/02</p> |
| <p>The FAA reports that, as part of its efforts to reduce runway surface incidents, it tasked a work group to review both procedures and associated phraseology and to improve them by condensing, modifying, or eliminating extraneous verbiage. The FAA states that the work group specifically addressed traffic advisories as they apply to intersecting runways. The FAA reviewed recommendations from the work group and determined that the amendments called for in Safety Recommendations A‑00‑34 and ‑35 are not warranted. The FAA believes that the current procedures are acceptable.</p> |
| <p>The Safety Board disagrees with the FAA's decision, and continues to believe that the revisions to FAA Order 7110.65 and to the AIM, as requested in Safety Recommendations A‑00‑34 and ‑35, are needed. The Board notes that the procedures the FAA believes are acceptable and not in need of revision were in place when the incidents that prompted these recommendations occurred. The Board is aware that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) continues to receive reports of similar runway incidents involving intersecting runways. In many cases, the pilots making these reports have indicated their desire to have been informed of the other traffic on the converging runway, as recommended.</p> |
| <p>On October 1, 2002, staff from the FAA and the Safety Board met to review the FAA's position (1) that current procedures are acceptable and (2) that additional requirements are not warranted. The Safety Board provided copies of reports of recent incidents similar to the incidents that prompted these recommendations, and that indicate that current procedures are not acceptable. In the meeting, it was noted that the Board is always open to considering alternative actions to satisfy the intent of its recommendations. The FAA staff indicated that they would review the additional information made available, and consider revisions to requirements to address these problems. In the interim, Safety Recommendations A‑00‑34 and ‑35 are classified "Open‑Unacceptable Response."</p> |
| <p>FAA LTR DTD: 7/28/03</p> |
| <p>On October 1, 2002, representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) met with your staff to discuss these safety recommendations. Based on additional information your staff provided during the meeting, the FAA initiated an air traffic control regional and field facility review of a document change proposal (DCP) requiring controllers to issue traffic advisories to aircraft operating on intersecting runways when the flightpaths intersect. Initial comments have been received from the regions and field, along with suggestions to make procedural modifications to the DCP. The DCP is currently being modified and will be redistributed to the regions and field facilities for final comments.</p> |
| <p>I will inform the Board of the outcome of this effort once all comments are received and analyzed.</p> |
| <p>NTSB LTR DTD: 10/27/03</p> |
| <p>On October 1, 2002, staff from the Safety Board met with staff from the FAA to discuss the need to implement these safety recommendations. As a result of that meeting, the FAA published a document change proposal (DCP) for FAA Order 7110.65 requiring controllers to issue traffic advisories to aircraft operating on intersecting runways when the flightpaths intersect. The Board notes that the DCP is currently being modified based on comments from its regions and field facilities.</p> |
| <p>The Safety Board is pleased to learn that the FAA is taking the actions recommended, and would appreciate reviewing a copy of the DCP when it has been revised. Pending results of the DCP and completion of the recommended actions, including the amendment to FAA Order 7110.65 and the amendment to the Aeronautical Information Manual, Safety Recommendations A‑00‑34 and –35 are classified "Open‑Acceptable Response."</p> |
| <p>Note to File: 3/4/05</p> |
| <p>The Document Change Proposal was modified by ATO memorandum dated September 3, 2004. Changes to Paragraphs 3-9-8 and 3-10-4 were provided to NTSB, Jeff Marcus on March 4, 2005.</p> |
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