Nevada’s sleeping traffic controller suspended
April 14th, 2011 - 8:17 pm ICT by Aishwarya BhattReno, April 14 (THAINDIAN NEWS) A Nevada air traffic controller has become the third employee to be nabbed sleeping on duty in just two months. The controller was caught sleeping while on duty as a plane which was carrying a critically ill patient tried to land at the Reno-Tahoe International Airport.
According to a report by ABC, the pilot of the LifeGuard plane tried to contact the controller for several minutes. ABC published excerpts of the audio recordings of the pilot as he reached the airport. The pilot is heard on the recording saying that he can’t figure out the tower at the airport. The pilot subsequently decided to circle the airport for some time until he was given the all-clear to land. The plane eventually landed with the assistance of the Northern California Terminal Radar Approach Control.
The traffic controller who was on duty reportedly stayed out of communication for about 16 minutes. He was the only controller who was on duty on the night. Few planes landed at the airport at the night.
The Federal Aviation Authority who has handled two similar cases in less than two months have suspended the controller and initiated an investigation into the incident.
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Tags: abc, air traffic controller, april 14, audio recordings, excerpts, federal aviation authority, ill patient, nevada air, northern california, pilot, planes, radar approach control, reno tahoe international airport, terminal radar approach control