WASHINGTON — An air-traffic controller making a personal phone call initially failed to warn a small plane of other aircraft in its path and then tried unsuccessfully to contact the pilot, federal safety officials said Friday. Moments later, the plane collided with a tour helicopter over the Hudson River, killing nine people.
The controller handling the plane and his supervisor at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey at the time of the Aug. 8 accident have been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration.
The phone call by the Teterboro controller was to a female employee of Baltimore-based AvPORTS, a contractor for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which manages the airport, according to port authority officials.
The two were discussing a dead cat that had been removed from airport grounds, said a former union official and other sources familiar with the contents of the call.
The FAA said in a statement late Thursday that there is no reason to think that the controller’s actions contributed to the accident. However, the agency said the phone conversation was inappropriate and such conduct is unacceptable.
The supervisor’s conduct also is being investigated because he was out of the building at the time. Controllers, including supervisors, are expected to be available throughout their work shift in case they are needed, even if they are taking a break.
