The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said American Airlines pilots were told on Wednesday to “climb rapidly” to avoid a crash into the Hawaiian mountains.
Air traffic controllers on Wednesday ordered Flight 298, bound for Los Angeles International Airport, to perform a “fast climb as the flight crew failed to make the designated turn upon departure.” Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (also known as Honolulu International Airport). said an FAA spokesperson.
The exercise occurred around 1 a.m. local time on Wednesday.
“The controller's actions ensured that the aircraft remained safely over nearby terrain,” an FAA spokesperson said in a statement, adding that the FAA is investigating the incident.
The American Airlines plane departed from Honolulu International Airport just before 1 a.m. local time Wednesday and landed at Los Angeles International Airport a little more than five hours later. According to Go to flight tracking service FlightAware.
“During climb out of Honolulu Airport on November 13, the crew of American Airlines Flight 298 requested and received right turn permission and followed instructions from air traffic controllers,” American Airlines said in a statement. statement Go to NBC News. “There were no Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) alerts as there were no issues with terrain clearance based on the aircraft's trajectory.”
In April, the union representing 15,000 pilots at American Airlines announced a “significant spike” in safety problems at the airline.
The Allied Pilots Association (APA) safety committee said in a memo that it was “tracking a significant spike in safety and maintenance-related issues in our operations.”
“Remember: don't rush, don't be scared, and don't be pressured into doing something that doesn't pass the 'smell test.'” Just because it's legal doesn't mean it's safe. No,” the memo says. “Be aware of the hazards when operating on busy airport ramps and taxiways staffed by inexperienced controllers and ground personnel.”
The Hill has reached out to American Airlines for comment.
