NTSB Issues Recommendations for Hudson River Corridor

August 27, 2009 — The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Thursday issued five safety recommendations to the FAA resulting from its ongoing investigation of the August 8 midair collision over the Hudson River that killed nine people. They are:

1. Establish procedures for coordination among ATC facilities so that aircraft operating under VFR and requesting a route that would require entry into class B airspace receive ATC clearance to enter that airspace as soon as traffic permits.
2. Require controllers to instruct pilots with whom they are communicating and whose flight will operate in the Hudson River class B exclusion area to switch from ATC communications to the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) and to self-announce before entering the area.
3. Add an advisory to the Automatic Terminal Information Service broadcast, reminding pilots of the need to use the CTAF while operating in the Hudson River class B exclusion area and to self-announce before entering the area, and
4. In any situation where, despite the above procedures, controllers are in contact with an aircraft operating within or approaching the Hudson River class B exclusion area, ensure that the pilot is provided with traffic advisories and safety alerts at least until exiting the area.

Read the compete safety recommendation document.