You just know theyll throw this poor soul under the bus too.
I vaguely recall staffing/workload was an issue at Reagan with the fixed wing -helicopter incident.
Poor buggers had about 3 seconds to realize their fate. Not even enough time to try to steer it for the weeds.
This poor crew didn't really have any good options - intentionally steering off the runway at over 120 knots likely would have resulted in more fatalities.
serious but not life-threatening injuries
Amazing that they could survive that. Though I gather that the fully loaded fire truck likely weighed as much as or possibly more than the CRJ at landing weight, which is a bit of a mindf***.
I agree but aircraft are quite fragile in comparison to big fire trucks.
do you have evidence of this? Last report I read from FAA is that there was more than 1 in the tower at the time. And as for staffing Pearson tower was staffed by a single controller and an assistant for midnight shifts starting about 11 p.m. for decades. In order to get relief they would have had to call someone in so it is no surprise that it would take time to get relief in. Regardless, both CATCA in Canada and NATCA have been fighting this issue for decades trying to increase minimum staff in all units to cover just such eventualities. It has always come down to budget. As for causes, my educated guess regarding principle cause will focus on procedures regarding when Jazz received his landing clearance and the coordination between tower and ground if their were 2 on duty. I have had vehicles enter a runway without clearance but never had a ground controller put a vehicle on the runway with traffic cleared to land.
Multiple reports say he was alone but one brief statement from the NTSB here say thats in accurate but wont say how many were in the tower but staffing is definitely a concern when normally you have two people controlling ground and air traffic not one.
www.reuters.com
I re-read their statement. They did not deny that only one controller was on duty. So two possibilities 1) midnight staffing is the same as Pearson was: 1 controller and an assistant plus possibly a trainee in either of the two roles. 2) Traffic had quietened down and the staff had consolidated all positions into one and gone home early: not approved by management but condoned because nothing ever happens anyways. (until it does) If there should have been all positions manned then statement 2 is relevant and they are in CYA mode for LGA management. If they were on a midnight staffing rotation then they are covering for their superiors.Multiple reports say he was alone but one brief statement from the NTSB here say thats in accurate but wont say how many were in the tower but staffing is definitely a concern when normally you have two people controlling ground and air traffic not one.
NTSB probes controller as part of LaGuardia airport collision investigation
Investigators said they wanted to interview an air traffic controller who was juggling another emergency in the run-up to the crash at New York's LaGuardia airport.
I can’t begin to imagine the grief and guilt the air traffic controller is feeling right now. I’m sure it’s going to be with him for the rest of his life. With cutbacks and politics being what they are nowadays, I’m just surprised that this kind of accident hasn’t happened more often.Multiple reports say he was alone but one brief statement from the NTSB here say thats in accurate but wont say how many were in the tower but staffing is definitely a concern when normally you have two people controlling ground and air traffic not one.
NTSB probes controller as part of LaGuardia airport collision investigation
Investigators said they wanted to interview an air traffic controller who was juggling another emergency in the run-up to the crash at New York's LaGuardia airport.
