McDonnell Douglas MD-82 N954AS

Summary

On 19 August 1994 at about 18:04 local time, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82 registered N954AS, operated by Alaska Airlines, was involved in an incident near Reno, Nevada, United States. 119 people were on board and 6 had minor injuries. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 August 1994 at 18:04

Classification

Incident

Location

Reno, Nevada, United States

Nearest airport

Reno Tahoe Intl (RNO)

Coordinates

39.4810, -119.7402

Aircraft

McDonnell Douglas MD-82

Registration

N954AS

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Alaska Airlines

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Seattle

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX94IA331

6 people had minor injuries.

FAILURE OF THE AREA SUPERVISOR/DEPARTURE CONTROLLER (SUPVR/CTLR) TO STAY AT HIS RADAR POSITION AND ENSURE THAT REQUIRED COMMUNICATIONS WERE MAINTAINED. FACTORS RELATED TO THE INCIDENT WERE: FAILURE OF THE LOCAL TOWER CONTROLLER INSTRUCT THE FLIGHTCREW OF ASA601 (N954AS) TO CONTACT DEPARTURE CONTROL, FAILURE OF THE ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE CONTROLLERS TO ISSUE TRAFFIC ADVISORIES, SUPERVISOR/DEPARTURE CONTROLLER'S DIVERTED ATTENTION, AND INTERMITTENT OPERATION OF THE TRANSPONDER IN THE MOONEY, THUS NOT ACTIVATING THE TCAS OF ASA601.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

ALASKA AIRLINES FLIGHT 601 (ASA601), N954AS, WAS ON A STANDARD INSTRUMENT DEPARTURE WHEN IT NEARLY COLLIDED WITH A MOONEY M20C, N91Y. THE MOONEY WAS TRANSITING THE RENO AIRSPACE AT 12,500 FEET MSL AND HAD JUST BEEN HANDED OFF FROM THE TRACON DEPARTURE CONTROLLER TO THE ARRIVAL CONTROLLER. THE LOCAL CONTROLLER DID NOT INFORM ASA601 TO CONTACT DEPARTURE CONTROL AFTER TAKEOFF. DURING ASA601'S INITIAL CLIMB, THE DEPARTURE CONTROLLER/AREA MANAGER LEFT HIS POSITION TO ANSWER A PHONE CALL FROM A FACILITY TECHNICIAN TO DISCUSS TRACON BUSINESS. AT THE SAME TIME, THE ARRIVAL CONTROLLER WAS TELLING THE MOONEY TO CHANGE TRANSPONDER CODES IN PREPARATION FOR A HANDOFF TO CENTER; AT THAT TIME, THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION BETWEEN THE MOONEY PILOT AND THE CONTROLLER ABOUT THE TRANSPONDER CODE. THE ARRIVAL CONTROLLER SAID HE DID NOT SEE THE DATA BLOCK FOR ASA601 BECAUSE HIS ATTENTION WAS DIVERTED TO THE MOONEY. THE CHANGING OF THE TRANSPONDER CODE AND THE MOONEY'S INTERMITTENT MODE C TRANSPONDER KEPT ASA601'S TCAS SYSTEM FROM ACQUIRING THE MOONEY. AFTER HIS PHONE CALL, THE DEPARTURE CONTROLLER TRIED TO CALL ASA601, BUT WITHOUT SUCCESS. HE THEN CALLED THE LOCAL CONTROLLER AND WAS INFORMED OF THE NEAR COLLISION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.