NATCA Members’ Quick Thinking Helps Flaming Plane to Land Safely
After an AeroUnion Boeing 767-200 cargo flight took off from Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday, Dec. 5, a Los Angeles Tower (LAX) controller observed smoke coming from one of the plane’s engines, and alerted the pilot. The controller guided and cleared the aircraft to land on 25L on the emergency approach after circling with right hand turns only, due to the engine fire. The aircraft safely landed on the ground and taxied to where the fire department could assist.
This save was the great work of NATCA LAX controllers Brandon Roche (heard on the recording), Marco Patino, Denis Julianna, and Michael Flores, and NATCA Southern California TRACON (SCT) members Phillip Delgado, Alex Cisneros, Douglas Voelpel, Mike Smith, and Brian Noble.
The event, lasting 10-15 minutes, involved 20 planes handled by SCT controllers due to the emergency aircraft, SCT FacRep Joel Ortiz said.
Audio credit liveatc.net.
Photo credit Eddie Heisterkamp https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/8774776.
