Air crash control staff row.A DUTY air traffic controller was on the phone to a woman during last week's midair collision over New York's Hudson River Hudson River River, New York, U.S. Originating in the Adirondack Mountains and flowing for about 315 mi (507 km) to New York City, it was named for Henry Hudson, who explored it in 1609. Dutch settlement of the Hudson valley began in 1629. . The controller, in charge of supervising the light aircraft that smashed into a helicopter, has been suspended sus·pend v. sus·pend·ed, sus·pend·ing, sus·pends v.tr. 1. To bar for a period from a privilege, office, or position, usually as a punishment: suspend a student from school. . So has his supervisor who, against regulations, was not even in the building when the crash happened. Three members of a family in the plane and five Italian tourists and a pilot in the helicopter were killed. The Federal Aviation Administration Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), component of the U.S. Department of Transportation that sets standards for the air-worthiness of all civilian aircraft, inspects and licenses them, and regulates civilian and military air traffic through its air traffic control said although there was no evidence yet that the controllers contributed to the accident, such "conduct is unacceptable." Air traffic controllers are expected to be alert at all times while on duty and typically are given a 15-minute break every two hours for that reason. Tower The two employees have not been named by the FAA. The FAA said the controller at Teterboro Airport
They monitor low-flying air traffic over the Hudson but do not actively try to keep aircraft separated. The US NationalTransportation Safety Board and FAA investigators learned of the phone call earlier this week while examining recordings. CAPTION(S): HORROR: Mid-air crash |
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