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July 1, 2013
WASHINGTON – Following the investigation of five incidents in which commercial jetliners came within hazardous proximity of other aircraft while arriving or departing at major U.S. airports, the National Transportation Safety Board today has recommended that the Federal Aviation Administration modify the rules for air traffic controllers to ensure the safe separation of airplanes during go-around maneuvers.

A go-around – an aborted landing attempt by an airplane on final approach – can be initiated at the direction of ATC or by the flight crew upon a determination that circumstances are unfavorable for a safe landing.

The safety hazard identified in the five incidents all occurred when an airplane that was on approach to the airport aborted the landing attempt and initiated a go-around maneuver, which put the go-around airplane on a flightpath that intersected with that of another airplane that was either departing or arriving on another runway of the same airport.

Although current FAA procedures have specific requirements for ensuring the separation between two airplanes that are departing from different runways but that have intersecting flightpaths, they do not prohibit controllers from clearing an airplane to land at a time when it would create a potential collision hazard with another aircraft if the pilots of the landing airplane perform a go-around.

In such situations, a flight crew performing a go-around may be put into the position of having to execute evasive maneuvers at low altitude and high closing speeds with little time to avoid a mid-air collision. The NTSB has determined that existing FAA separation standards and operating procedures are inadequate and need to be revised to ensure the safe separation between aircraft near the airport environment.

The NTSB has recommended that the FAA modify air traffic control procedures so that an airplane that executes a go-around instead of landing as expected, will not be put on a potential collision course with another airplane either in the process of landing or departing.

The incidents upon which this safety recommendation is based are listed below.

• Las Vegas McCarran International Airport
On July 30, 2012, at 1:44 p.m., a Spirit Airlines A-319 was executing a go-around as a Dotcom Cessna Citation 510 was on short final for landing on another runway. The two planes came within about 1,300 feet laterally and 100 feet vertically of each other.

• New York John F. Kennedy International Airport
On July 30, 2012, at 4:04 p.m., an American Airlines B-737 was executing a go-around as a Pinnacle Airlines CRJ 200 regional jet was departing from another runway. The two planes came within about 1,800 feet laterally and 300 feet vertically of each other.

• Charlotte-Douglas International Airport
On July 14, 2012, at 11:44 a.m., an ExpressJet Embraer 145 regional jet was executing a go-around as an Air Wisconsin Canadair RJ was departing from another runway. The two planes came within about 1,000 feet laterally and 400 feet vertically of each other.

• Las Vegas McCarran International Airport
On April 26, 2012, at 11:25 a.m., a JetBlue Airways A-320 was executing a go-around as a Learjet 60 business jet was departing from another runway. The two planes came within about 1,800 feet laterally and 100 feet vertically of each other.

• Las Vegas McCarran International Airport
On January 27, 2006, at 5:44 p.m., a near mid-air collision occurred when a United Airlines A-320 was executing a go-around as an American Airlines B-757 jet was departing from another runway. The two planes came within about 1,400 feet laterally and 300 feet vertically of each other.

The complete safety recommendation letter to the FAA, which includes additional information about the incidents referenced above, is available at http://go.usa.gov/busC.
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January 23, 2013
WASHINGTON – Tomorrow, National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman will provide an update on the NTSB’s investigation of the Jan. 7 fire aboard a Japan Airlines (JAL) Boeing 787 at Logan International Airport in Boston.

Chairman Hersman will brief credentialed members of the news media on the progress of the investigation, after which she and senior staff will take questions. Those unable to attend in person can call in to a teleconference line.

Reporters will then be invited to view the materials laboratory where the battery is being examined. Photography will be allowed but no “stand-ups” or taped reporting from the lab will be permitted.

For planning purposes, RSVP is required for those planning to either attend in person or call in.

Location: NTSB Boardroom and Conference Center, 429 L’Enfant Plaza East, SW, Washington, DC

Date: Thursday, January 24, 2013

Time: 2:30 p.m.

Participants: Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman; John DeLisi, Director of NTSB Office of Aviation Safety; and Dr.
Joseph Kolly, Director, NTSB Office of Research and Engineering.

The following factual information has been developed about the battery: It consists of eight cells of 3.7 volts each. All eight cells had varying degrees of thermal damage. Six of eight cells have been CT scanned and have been disassembled to expose their electrodes. All electrode windings in the battery are in the process of being photo-documented and are undergoing microscopic examination. In the coming days, the remaining two cells will undergo the same examination. Additional information will be provided tomorrow.