Author Topic: Aircraft reg. CFBNA emergency landing and "nordo" - Feb 15/2014 (CYOW, Ottawa)  (Read 10669 times)

Offline janlam01

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Last week (Saturday, February 15, 2014), aircraft with registration CFBNA was "nordo" (no radio) and had an emergency landing. The aircraft circled around Ottawa Airport (CYOW) for a period of time. The pilot did an approach into Gatineau Airport (CYND), but later aborted and went back to Ottawa Airport where it did land safely. The situation, from my calculation, lasted about 31 minutes.

The Ottawa Airport tweeted this out (https://twitter.com/FlyYOW/status/434731358645391360), but in my opinion, downplayed the statement by saying there was no emergency situation.

Attached below is the audio clip.

~~~~~
Play-by-play timeline

10:29 [15:29Z]: Montreal Centre tries to reach aircraft registration CFBNA and no response

10:31 [15:31Z]: Montreal Centre tries to reach CFBNA and no response

10:32 [15:32Z]: Ottawa Terminal tries to reach CFNBA and no response.

10:32 [15:32Z]: Montreal Centre tries to reach CFBNA and no response.

10:33 [15:33Z]: Montreal Centre tries to reach CFBNA and no response. Another attempt was made a few seconds later by asking the pilot to do a squawk ident.

10:33 [15:33Z]: Porter 256 on Tower advising that they are ready for an intersection takeoff on Runway 14. Controler advises pilot that there is a possible emergency (nordo).

10:34 [15:34Z]: (Conversation in progress) Ottawa Terminal advises aircraft registration CFVZN that they are unable to do the requested "City Tour" until the emergency is resolved.

10:34 [15:34Z]: (Converstaion in progress) Converstation between emergency vehicles and Ottawa Ground.

10:37 [15:37Z]: Emergency vehicles reporting to Ottawa Ground on their standby positions.

10:38 [15:38Z]: Ottawa Tower advises Porter 256 vacate taxiway D (short of Runway 14/32).

10:39 [15:39Z]: Porter 256 checking back in with Ottawa Ground.

10:40 [15:40Z]: Emergency Vehicle "Red 1" inquires Ottawa Ground how long communication was lost from the aircraft.

10:40 [15:40Z]: Porter 253 checked in with Ottawa Terminal

10:41 [15:41Z]: Fedex 9153 inquiring about the emergency with Ottawa Ground so that the pilot could decided whether to start their engine for pushback and departure.

10:42 [15:42Z]: Ottawa Terminal provides information on the emergency situation to Porter 253.

10:43 [15:43Z]: Aircraft registration CFWSH on Ottawa Clerance/Ottawa Ground requesting clearance.

10:44 [15:44Z]: Aircraft CFWSH speaks to Ottawa Clearance/Ottawa Ground issues squawk code and taxi instructions, but advises pilot that they aren't doing any departures until the emergency situation was resolved.

10:45 [15:45Z]: Ottawa Terminal makes another attempt to reach CFBNA by asking the pilot to squak ident. A few seconds later gives surface wind information and suggests aircraft to land on Runway 32.

10:46 [15:46Z]: (Conversation in progress) Ottawa Ground speaking to pilot on the ground (unknown) about the emergency situation and they are not doing any departures until the emergency lands.

10:46 [15:46Z]: (Conversation in progress) Ottawa Terminal giving runway information for Runway 32 frequency for the localizer.

10:47 [15:47Z]: Ottawa Clearance attempts to reach CFBNA, no response.

10:48 [15:48Z]: Ottawa Ground speaks with Red 1 on the possibility of the aircraft setting up for the approach to Runway 25.

10:48 [15:48Z]: Ottawa Tower speaking to aircraft with registration ending "BGL" (which was airborne) regarding the emergency situation and provides aircraft with instructions to avoid CFBNA.

10:48 [15:48Z]: Ottawa Ground gives instructions/authorization to various emergency vehicles for repositioning.

10:49 [15:49Z]: Emergency vehicles reporting their positions to Ottawa Ground

10:50 [15:50Z]: Ottawa Ground advises Fedex 9153 to start up and advises that the emergency aircraft might be landing at Gatineau AIrport.

10:50 [15:50Z]: (Conversation in progress) Porter 253 advises Ottawa Terminal that they might need to go to Montreal as their alternate. Terminal also advises the pilot that the emergency aircraft might be landing in Gatineau and told the pilot to plan Runway 32 for landing.

10:51 [15:51Z]: One of the emergency vehicles reporting their position to Ottawa Ground.

10:52 [15:52Z]: Ottawa Terminal advises Porter 253 to plan Runway 25 for landing.

10:52 [15:52Z]: One of the emergency vehicles reporting their position to Ottawa Ground.

10:53 [15:53Z]: Ottawa Terminal gives descent instructions to Porter 253.

10:53 [15:53Z]: Ottawa Tower asks Porter 256 if they are ready to depart, if Ottawa Terminal gives authorization.

10:54 [15:54Z]: Ottawa Tower advises Porter 256 that the emergency aircraft is climbing (out of Gatineau Airport) and is unable to give takeoff clearance.

10:54 [15:54Z]: Ottawa Tower asks aircraft BGL to look for CFBNA.

10:55 [15:55Z]: Ottawa Ground advises Red 1 that the CFBNA did not land in Gatineau.

10:55 [15:55Z]: (Conversation in progress) Ottawa Terminal advises Porter 253 that there will not be any approach clearance because CFBNA appeared to be heading back to Ottawa Airport.

10:57 [15:57Z]: (Conversation in progress) Ottawa Ground updates Red 1 on the situation.

10:58 [15:58Z]: Porter 253 with Ottawa Terminal requesting clearance to divert to Montreal (CYUL).

10:59 [15:59Z]: Ottawa Ground gives instructions to Red 10.

11:01 [16:01Z]: Red 9 on Ottawa Ground makes request to reposition.

11:01 [16:01Z]: Red 1 asks Ottawa Ground for instructions on what to do as the CFBNA has landed.

11:03 [16:03Z]: Duty Manager (presumably Staff 21 - not sure) speaks to Ottawa Ground telling that the pilot of CFBNA would like to go to the Esso Avitat from taxiway E.

11:04 [16:04Z]: Staff 31 advises Ottawa Ground that the runway is fine.

26 minutes later

11:30 [16:30Z]: Aircraft registration CGLLM asked Ottawa Terminal about that emergency aircraft and Terminal advised that the aircraft landed safely.



Offline frcabot

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Having been NORDO before, I don't consider it an emergency unless it occurs with a bunch of other stuff going wrong and/or the plane is IMC and not able to see other traffic (but if squawking 7600 and IMC, see below, controllers will know the plane is NORDO and following filed flight plan and will vector traffic around; if VFR pilot is required to see and avoid with eyeballs anyways so NORDO or not doesn't make so much difference).

Not sure how things are in Canada, but in the US:

1. In most airspace and at most GA airports it is not even necessary (although it is highly encouraged) to have a radio for VFR (Class E/G airspace) or have two way radio communications.

2. Even at towered airports (Class B/C/D), controllers have light signals to communicate with the plane re landing instructions that pilots are trained to observe, e.g. green, flashing green, red, flashing red, etc.)

3. Airplanes are instructed to squawk 7600 when NORDO so controllers are immediately aware.

4. No reason to circle around an airport and shut down traffic for 30 minutes unless controllers were flashing light signals not to land, which doesn't seem to be the case.

5. Even on an IFR flight plan, the regs call for following the filed flight plan or by maintaining VFR once in VMC and landing as soon as practicable. In any event, it's a normal landing: either VFR if in VMC conditions or IFR according to the filed plan and estimated time of arrival if IMC.

____

We don't really know what the specifics are here but I can't imagine circling around an airport for 30 minutes and shutting down all traffic unless the pilot was being instructed with light gun signals specifically not to land.

Offline janlam01

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The controllers kept referring this as an emergency. I'm not a pilot, so I really don't know enough to provide a comment/judge whether this was actually an emergency.

One thing I'd like to point is that approximately 3:08 of the audio clip I posted, one of the emergency crews (Red 1) asked Ottawa Ground how long contact was lost between ATC and the aircraft. Ottawa Ground Controller when answering the question added by saying the pilot lost an engine and was losing pressurization.

Nevertheless, from my perspective listening to the conversation, the situation sounded serious...

Offline frcabot

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The controllers kept referring this as an emergency. I'm not a pilot, so I really don't know enough to provide a comment/judge whether this was actually an emergency.

One thing I'd like to point is that approximately 3:08 of the audio clip I posted, one of the emergency crews (Red 1) asked Ottawa Ground how long contact was lost between ATC and the aircraft. Ottawa Ground Controller when answering the question added by saying the pilot lost an engine and was losing pressurization.

Nevertheless, from my perspective listening to the conversation, the situation sounded serious...
odd that controllers would know engine status and pressurization status if true NORDO. Maybe pilot called tower on cell phone. If this is all true there was a lot more going on than a simple NORDO, which as I said is typically not an emergency. The cause of the NORDO might be, e.g. electrical failure, etc. on a twin engine jet plane such as the one here, I think both engines would have to go out plus battery depleted before loss of comms, though.

Offline flyflyfly

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odd that controllers would know engine status and pressurization status if true NORDO. Maybe pilot called tower on cell phone.

Tower said they lost comms with the aircraft 15 minutes earlier, so they obviously had been in contact before. Maybe the pilot had already declared an emergency back then (due to engine and pressurization issues) and the radio failure was just another malfunction which happened later. Weak battery maybe - though with a dual engine a/c you'd expect both engines to have a generator...


Offline JetScan1

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Quote
Bound for Toronto, ON (CYYZ), and on departure from Montréal, QC (CYUL), a Cessna 650 (C-FBNA) operated by Chartright Air reported having engine trouble and requested a diversion to Ottawa, ON (CYOW). No emergency declared. While inbound for CYOW, C-FBNA squawked 7600. All subsequent attempts of radio communication went unanswered. Emergency measures were deployed at CYOW. C-FBNA conducted some circuits south of CYOW, and then headed, in descent, to Gatineau, QC (CYND). Emergency measures were deployed at CYND. C-FBNA entered the circuit at CYND and then headed back to CYOW. In the end, C-FBNA landed without incident on Runway 25 at 1601Z. Impact: IFR activities were suspended at CYOW and CYRO from 1533Z until 1601Z and a de Havilland DHC 8 400 (POE253) operated by Porter Airlines from Toronto/Billy Bishop, ON (CYTZ), to Ottawa, ON (CYOW), requested a diversion to Montréal, QC (CYUL). TR JRCC, CACO, NOC and NORAD were notified. The pilot later phoned and confirmed that, during the descent, C-FBNA had lost an engine.

http://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/2/cadors-screaq/m.aspx

Offline janlam01

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Thanks for posting that info regarding the incident (and the link to that online tool).