The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

TOURISM and Aviation Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar says he has a handle on the deficiencies exposed in a report about a near mid-air collision at the Lynden Pindling International Airport last September even as the government struggles to recruit new air traffic controllers.

The Air Accident Investigation Department reported Monday that a near mid-air collision took place at LPIA between a Piper Aztec, C6-JEF, headed for the Berry Islands and a Western Air turbo-prop, C6-KID, carrying 25 passengers to Grand Bahama.

Investigators cited inadequate manpower in the air traffic control department as a problem contributing to the incident. Although the chief problem was a pilot’s failure to obey ATC instructions, investigators said a controller lost visual contact with an aircraft because he may have been distracted during a shift change while manning two separate radio frequencies during a time of high traffic volume. The AAID also found that controllers lacked required licences, a problem not fixed up by the time the report was finalised recently.

“We have had many discussions with senior management in the Air Traffic Control Department and they are working very diligently to correct all of those glaring deficiencies that have been identified in that report,” Mr D’Aguilar told reporters before a Cabinet meeting yesterday. “I invite you to speak to those managers to make sure they are doing it but I am certainly on top of it and making sure they are following through. These reports identify deficiencies but we have an extremely safe air traffic control system. The proof is in the pudding. If you think about the amount of movements that take place at that airport, we have had an impeccable record, no loss of life and obviously from time to time issues will arise but we’re on top of it.

“The Air Traffic Control Department is a very complicated department,” he added. “I’m sure all previous ministers have dealt with this very vexing problem of how to find air traffic controllers. We are addressing it as best as we can but it is a vexing issue of getting people into that department and so we are trying to recruit. We have recruited a lot of new air traffic controllers of late but unfortunately union rules and past traditions don’t allow you to bring people in at the levels you would like to bring them into. There is some unspoken tradition that all air traffic controllers must come in and start at the bottom and work their way up and they must be do training and it’s a very, very slow process and not ideal and we’re looking to change that but that’s a difficult process.”

In its report, the AAID said: “The poor decision making exercised by the pilot of aircraft C6-JEF in not following directions by ATC, despite advising he understood the instructions given, has been determined as the probable cause of the near mid-air collision; also contributing to this near mid-air collision was the actions of the air traffic controller by losing visual on the aircraft he issued instructions to, and the failure on the part of the crew of C6-KID for not observing that another aircraft was on the same runway at the same time before commencing their take-off roll; the AAID believes this loss of visual contact on the aircraft by the controller may have been as a result of distraction due to the ongoing shift change at the time, and the fact that the controller was manning two separate radio frequencies during a time of high traffic volume while using a system that required additional training and frequent data input so that all systems can function properly with adequate current information.”

The report also noted: “The AAID also believes the failure to notice the aircraft by the crew of C6-KID may be the result of distractions or preoccupation with completing final checks while on the runway, before takeoff; pilot training, qualification and air traffic controller training, licencing and record keeping practices have been investigated and while not directly contributing to the incident, were noteworthy and required action.”