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Aircraft Save Transcript

This page hosts the actual taped transmissions of a controller at McGuire performing an aircraft save.  Enjoy!!

UNIT AND BASE: 305 OSS, McGuire AFB, NJ

DATE OF INCIDENT: 18 May 1996

AIRCRAFT IDENTIFICATION, TYPE, AND COST: N21DD, M020/R, $175,000

PHOTO:

NUMBER OF PERSONS ON BOARD: 1 Person

GRADE, NAME, FACILITY, AND CONTROL POSITION: A1C Gregg Potter, Radar Approach Control, Approach Control

WEATHER: WRI M11 BKN 20 OVC 4 F 70/62 1807 29.98 PA+78

NATURE OF DIFFICULTY: Electrical Failure, Unavailable Approach Plates

NARRATIVE: On 18 May 96, A1C Potter took radar control of an IFR aircraft N21DD, en-route to Brookhaven, New York.  A1C Potter noticed the aircraft's transponder was malfunctioning and passed the advisory to the aircraft.  The aircraft attempted to recycle the transponder with no avail.  The pilot's radios started to fade and he realized he was having electrical problems.  A1C Potter asked the pilot if he required any special assistance and if he was planning to continue his flight.  When the pilot responded that he wasn't sure, A1C Potter took charge of the situation and advised the pilot of a nearby airport, Robert J. Miller for possible landing.  The pilot concurred.  However, he was not familiar with the New Jersey area, nor did he have the approach plates available.  The pilot started showing signs of concern when he was unable to make ground contact due to a layer of clouds below him.  As the situation further developed, the aircraft's electrical power continued to dwindle and the pilot grew more worried about his safety.  AlC Potter continuously advised the pilot not to worry, ensuring the pilot would remain calm as he started passing all required information for an IFR approach.  He proceeded to vector the aircraft for the ILS runway six approach into Robert J. Miller airport.  He passed the frequencies for the coyle VORTAC and the localizer portion of the ILS.  The initial approach altitude and the coyle radial that intercepts the localizer was given.  He informed the pilot of the airport AWOS frequency as well as the UNICOM frequency.  Three miles prior to the final approach fix, the aircraft was turned on to the final approach course and suddenly the pilot was experiencing complete radio failure.  Only moments later the aircraft's electrical power failed.  Due to A1C Potter's professionalism, quick decision making and confident voice quality throughout the situation, the pilot remained calm and was able to navigate his imperiled aircraft to a safe landing.

SUBJECT: N21DD/ Save Award Nomination

RECORDING FACILITY: McGuire Radar Approach Control, New Jersey

LIST OF CONTROL POSITIONS: Approach

FREQUENCIES: Approach - 120.25

DATE & TIME PERIOD: 18 May 96, 17:45:20z - 18:06z

17:42:02 N21DD McGuire approach, Mooney two one delta delta is with you seven thousand
45:07 Approach N21DD McGuire approach, altimeter two niner niner niner.
42:45 N42466 McGuire approach, Skylane four two four six six checking in climbing to five thousand.
42:51 Approach Skylane four two four six six, McGuire approach, altimeter two niner niner niner.
42:55 N42466 Niner niner niner thank you.
17:45:20 Approach N21DD transponder appears inoperative, recycle one zero three three.
45:35 N21DD One delta delta.
17:46:16 N21DD McGuire approach, Mooney one dee dee, uh, did it come up.
46:18 Approach Two one delta delta negative sir.
46:20 Approach Sir just verify you are, you are level at seven thousand.
46:29 N21DD One dee dee we are level at seven, sir.
46:30 Approach Roger.
17:47:00 Approach Two one delta delta descend and maintain five thousand.
47:14 N21DD Dee dee roger, we're down to five thousand.
47:25 Approach Two one delta delta report reaching uh, five thousand.
47:27 N21DD One dee dee uh, we're having some electrical problems here uh, and how do you copy right now.
47:29 Approach I hear you loud and clear, how me.
47:35 N21DD Uh, I hear you loud and clear, my voltage regulator is showing something crazy here and uh, my intercom is not working properly so, one dee dee is in a descent to five thousand.
47:51 Approach Two one delta delta sir, you requiring any assistance.
17:48:00 N21DD Well I don't know, I hear you five by five right now and uh, everything seems normal uh, my amp-meter is showing a good charge and I don't know, I'm gonna start knocking some of these radios down in the event I lose too much power out of them.
48:15 Approach Roger.
48:58 Unknown (unreadable, garbled transmission)
17:49:00 Approach Is that two one delta delta calling.
49:03 N21DD That's affirmative sir (garbled transmission).
49:05 Approach Roger sir your breaking up, now I can bearly understand you.
49:10 N21DD Two one delta delta how do you copy, over.
49:13 Approach I can understand your call sign but that's about it sir.
49:17 N21DD I hear you five by five right now.  We're still in a descent on a heading of zero three zero and we're just passing six thousand.
49:28 Approach Roger sir understand you are passing six thousand heading zero three zero.
49:32 N21DD That's affirmative.
49:34 Approach Roger sir and be advised you are coming in broken up.
49:37 N21DD One dee dee roger we'll try the other radio.
49:50 N21DD McGuire approach Mooney two one delta delta how do you read?
49:53 Approach I hear you, you're a little bit better now sir.
49:55 N21DD O.K. I'm on number two radio now we're still continuing our descent on a heading zero three zero.
17:50:00 Approach Roger.
50:46 N21DD Dover approach Mooney two one delta; McGuire approach Mooney two delta delta is level at five thousand.
50:51 Approach Two one delta delta roger.
17:52:19 N21DD McGuire approach, Mooney two one delta delta over.
52:23 Approach Two one delta delta, McGuire go ahead.
52:26 N21DD Were having some uh, electrical problems here and uh, do you want us to continue and descend or do you want us to stay at five thousand.
52:32 Approach Are you uh, planning to complete uh, flight sir.
52:36 N21DD I don't know what else to do sir.
52:40 Approach Roger sir I have an airport in your 12 o'clock uh, right below you its about three miles its um mike juliet x-ray airport you can land there.
52:50 N21DD O.K. what are the conditions there and what's the name of the airport.
52:53 Approach The airport's name is Robert J. Miller, mike juliet x-ray and you can (pause) the AWOS is available on one one niner point eight seven.
17:53:07 N21DD I can't find that airport uh, what was the name of that airport again.
53:10 Approach Mike juliet x-ray it's Robert J. Miller.
53:16 Approach Your over top of the airport now sir.
53:19 N21DD Would that be Lakewood uh, New Jersey.
53:22 Approach Lakewood is in your 12 o'clock for uh, seven miles Robert J. Miller uh, your over top of the airport now I can set you up for an approach there or I can take you to november 12 if you'd like.
53:29 N21DD What are the conditions there sir?  Uh, right now it doesn't look to good with me and my radios uh, are uh, kind of failing me.
53:40 Approach Roger um, the uh, november correction mike juliet x-ray AWOS is available one one niner point eight seven can you pick that up.
53:47 N21DD One one niner point eight seven.
53:50 Approach Affirmative one one niner point eight seven can you pick that up sir?
53:53 N21DD We'll give it a try.
17:54:23 Approach N21DD descend and maintain three thousand, report reaching three thousand.
54:23 N21DD McGuire approach Mooney two one delta delta.
54:25 Approach Go ahead.
54:27 N21DD Uh, they're calling for two thousand foot overcast at that airport.
54:31 Approach I can take you down to two thousand would you like that?
54:33 N21DD Yes sir.
54:36 Approach Mooney two one delta delta descend and maintain two thousand.
54:39 N21DD You want me on a straight heading of uh, zero three zero two thousand feet?
54:44 Approach Two one delta delta sir would you like the ILS approach or the VOR approach into that airport.
54:46 N21DD I don't believe uh, I have the uh, approach plate for that field.
54:54 Approach O.K. sir no problem turn right heading one eight zero.  I'm gonna bring you back around for the ILS into Uh Robert J. Miller runway six.
17:55:04 N21DD It will be uh right turn to one eight zero.
55:45 Approach Two one delta delta say altitude passing now.
55:50 N21DD Three point five for one delta delta and we're coming up on one eight zero heading.
55:56 Approach Roger.
17:56:14 Approach Two one delta delta continue your right turn heading two zero.
56:25 Approach Two one delta delta did you copy the right turn heading two two zero?
56:28 N21DD Negative, two two zero for one dee dee.
17:57:07 N42466 McGuire approach, Skylane four two four six six if he want the approach plate for Robert J. Miller It's uh, I think it's under Toms River.
57:17 Approach Roger.
57:18 Approach Two one delta delta sir did you copy that the approach plate is under Toms River do you have that one?
57:22 N21DD No sir we don't.
57:25 Approach O.K. sir no problem.
57:40 Approach And uh N21DD do you have a volume ten approach plate?
57:45 N21DD Sir, I do not. I just have it for New York and Pennsylvania I don't have New Jersey.
57:49 Approach O.K.
57:51 N21DD One dee dee we're passing two point seven on a heading of two two zero.
57:56 Approach Roger.
17:58:05 Approach Two one delta delta proceed direct Coyle, the Coyle frequency is one one three point four.
58:12 N21DD One dee dee direct Coyle roger.
58:24 Approach N21DD the uh localizer frequency for the, ILS portion is one zero niner point niner.
58:33 N21DD One zero nine point nine and I'm going direct to coyle VOR roger.
17:59:00 Approach Two one delta delta sir hows the uh weather at two thousand feet is it VFR?
59:05 N21DD Negative sir we're still in the soup.
59:08 Approach That's O.K.
59:57 Approach N21DD turn left heading two four zero now I'm going to vector uh, intercept the localizer to runway six at Robert J. Miller.
18:00:05 N21DD Two four zero on the heading roger.
00:08 Approach Two one delta delta sir, you level at two thousand now?
00:13 N21DD Two point one yes.
00:14 Approach Roger.
00:44 Approach N21DD sir the radial you're gonna be tracking inbound on the localizer is the zero six one radial and the uh initial approach altitude is one thousand nine hundred feet.
00:56 N21DD One dee dee roger.
18:01:00 N21DD You are giving me radar vectors to that radial uh so I can tune into one zero nine nine is that correct?
01:04 Approach Affirmative sir you can tune into one zero point correction one zero nine point nine.
01:09 N21DD One zero nine point nine roger.
01:16 Approach And uh nine one delta correction two delta delta you can uh descend and maintain one thousand nine hundred now and uh report the weather conditions.
01:26 N21DD One dee dee we're still in the soup up here and uh relatively smooth on a heading of two four zero.
01:32 Approach Roger thanks.
18:02:40 Approach N466 contact Atlantic City Approach one two four point six.
02:44 N42466 Two four six six Atlantic City say frequency please.
02:48 Approach One two four point six.
02:50 N42466 One two four point six. If you want me back uh I'll monitor the frequency.
02:57 Approach Two on delta delta turn right heading three three zero.
18:03:00 N21DD Right three three zero.
03:15 Approach N21DD sir are you requesting emergency responding vehicles on the runway whenever you get down?
03:21 N21DD Negative sir.
03:22 Approach Copy.
03:46 N21DD Mooney two one delta delta we are seeing a little bit of the ground every now and then and we are steady on three three zero.
03:52 Approach Two one delta delta roger.
18:04:07 LOF767 McGuire, Waterski seven sixty seven level at six thousand.
04:11 Approach Waterski seven sixty seven, McGuire approach altimeter two niner niner eight.
04:14 Approach N21DD turn right heading zero five zero uh to intercept the localizer sir.
04:29 Approach Two one delta delta McGuire.
04:40 Approach N21DD McGuire approach.
18:05:08 Approach N21DD this is McGuire approach how do you hear me?
05:16 Approach Two one delta delta you are cleared the ILS runway six approach into Robert J. miller airport.
05:28 Approach Two one delta delta is one mile from the final approach fix continue right turn heading of uh zero nine zero maintain at or above one thousand nine hundred until established, you are cleared the ILS runway six approach into Robert J. Miller airport.
05:56 Approach N21DD be advised your reply is not received sir.
18:06:29 Approach Two one delta delta uh mike Juliet x-ray unicom frequency is one two two point seven and when you're on the ground please call us at six zero nine seven two four two seven six seven.
06:58 N42466 McGuire skylane four two four six six you did a great job, thanks.
18:07:01 Approach Thanks a lot sir.

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