The feds on Wednesday said the FAA will place an additional air traffic controller on the midnight shift at 27 control towers nationwide. Currently, the towers are staffed with one controller during those shifts.
“The FAA is taking this action after an incident this morning at Reno-Tahoe International Airport when a controller fell asleep while a medical flight carrying an ill patient was trying to land,” the agency said in a statement. “The medical flight pilot was in communication with the Northern California Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) and landed safely. The controller, who was out of communication for approximately 16 minutes, has been suspended while the FAA investigates.”
“I am totally outraged by these incidents. This is absolutely unacceptable,” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement. “The American public trusts us to run a safe system. Safety is our number one priority and I am committed to working 24/7 until these problems are corrected.”
