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A Lion Air Boeing 737-800 sits in shallow waters of the Indian Ocean after an April 13 crash on approach to Denpasar-
Ngurah Rai Bali International airport in Indonesia. All 108 people in the airplane survived the accident, but the airplane
was destroyed. Rain and wind shifts were reported at the time of the approach.
Loss of Separation
The number of reported operational errors by air traffic controllers resulting
in air traffic losses of separation increased more than 50 percent from 2009
to 2010, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s
Office of Inspector General (OIG).
The report said the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration attributes the
increase primarily to increased reporting through voluntary programs such as
the air traffic safety action program and the automated traffic analysis and review
program.
The OIG report, however, said the increase in reported errors “was linked,
in part, to a rise in actual errors. … For example, FAA’s air route traffic control
centers, which have had an automated system in place for years to detect and
investigate reported errors, had a 39 percent increase in operational errors during
the same period.”
The report also said that nearly 25 percent of the increase stemmed from a
procedural change at one terminal radar approach control that resulted in the reclassification
of a number of routine approach and landings as operational errors.
The FAA has adopted new policies and procedures to reduce the number of
loss of separation events and to improve reporting, “but their effectiveness is limited
by incomplete data and implementation challenges,” the OIG report said.
FLIGHTSAFETY.ORG | AEROSAFETYWORLD | MAY 2013
In Other News …
INBRIEF
Certification tests have been completed
for the new battery system for Boeing
787s. Boeing next must analyze testrelated
data and submit materials to the
U.S. Federal Aviation Administration,
which grounded the 787s in January
because of battery problems. … The
Port Authority of New York and New
Jersey will pay a $3.5 million fine
under a settlement agreement with
the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) stemming from the FAA’s
allegations of aircraft rescue and fire
fighting violations at four Port Authority
airports. The affected airports were
John F. Kennedy International Airport,
LaGuardia airport, Newark (New Jersey)
Liberty International Airport and
Teterboro Airport.
Compiled and edited by Linda Werfelman.
© Reuters
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