- The FAA is investigating why the dumping took place, despite guidelines that it should only be done over unpopulated areas, and so high up that the fuel can evaporate.
- Transcripts of the pilot talking to air traffic control show him saying that he wasn't planning on dumping fuel, right before he did .
- CNN aviation David Soucie said the dumping could have been an error, prompted by imprecise language used by the air traffic controller in a high-stress situation.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .
ADVERTISEMENT
A Delta pilot may have dumped jet fuel on schoolkids because of poor communication with air traffic control
A Delta Air Lines plane dumpedjet fuel over Los Angeles schoolkids before an emergency landing on Tuesday.
plane air traffic lax
A Delta Air Lines flight may have dumped jet fuel on schoolkids playing thousands of feet below because of a communication error with air traffic control, according to an aviation expert.
Former safety inspector David Soucie, now an analyst for CNN, told the network that a potentially confusing exchange directly beforehand may have led to flight 89 jettisoning its fuel on Tuesday.
Fuel dumping is a normal emergency procedure when a heavily loaded plane like this Boeing 777 which was headed to Shanghai, China needs to land shortly after takeoff.
ADVERTISEMENT
But Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidelines say to do it only away from populated areas and at a high enough elevation that the fuel can evaporate.
The FAA is investigating why the fuel was in this case dumped in such a way that it could land on several elementary schools.
jet fuel lax
Scott Varley/MediaNews Group/Torrance Daily Breeze via Getty Images
The information prompting Soucie's suggestion of a botched exchange comes from recordings obtained by the Associated Press (AP) between the pilot and air traffic control.
During the exchange, the pilot tells air traffic control that the flight crew was able to get the situation back under control"
ADVERTISEMENT
"We're not critical," the pilot said.
"OK, so you don't need to hold or dump fuel or anything like that?" the controller asked.
"Ah, negative," the pilot responded.
One word that could prompt a critical mistake
Soucie told CNN that the communication error may have been down to a confusing negative used by the controller.
ADVERTISEMENT
Soucie, a former FAA safety inspector, said they controller should have asked if the plane needed to dump fuel without using the word "don't."
He also should have repeated his questions for clarity, Soucie said.
Delta told Business Insider that it is still investigating exactly what happened.
See Also:
ADVERTISEMENT
- The Delta pilot who dumped jet fuel on schoolkids told air-traffic control moments before that he wasn't going to do it
- A 68-year-old woman with dementia survived in a car trapped in snow for six days, and no one knows how
- 11 Netflix documentaries you can stream this weekend that will make you smarter about business
SEE ALSO: The Delta pilot who dumped jet fuel on schoolkids told air-traffic control moments before that he wasn't going to do it
JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!
ADVERTISEMENT
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:
Email: eyewitness@pulse.com.gh
Recommended articles
How to save a life by doing CPR during an emergency
How 1 woman became first lady of 2 different countries — she married 2 presidents
How parents, teachers can recognise when a child is being bullied
It's illegal to publicly celebrate your birthday in this country
Sharaf Mahama Foundation supports Ramadan ‘Iftar’ at Okaikwei Central
January 2024 allowance to NSS personnel paid
Get your glow on: Say goodbye to acne with this natural skincare remedy
It’s not true that I called NDC MPs hooligans – Dr. Ernest Addison