When ATC Screws Up

On December 16, 2016, shortly after takeoff at 0119 local time, an EVA Air Boeing 777-300ER apparently came well within 1000 vertical feet of mountainous terrain after departing the Los Angeles (Calif.) International Airport (KLAX). While a formal investigation reportedly is underway at the FAA and the carrier, unofficial transcripts and aircraft tracking data make it clear this event was a very near thing. The publicly available information depicts confusion and uncertainty in the 777s cockpit. It also suggests non-standard phraseology on ATCs part may have contributed to the event. The sidebar on the opposite page explores it a bit more, based on unoffocial sources.

Key Takeaways:

• An EVA Air flight departing LAX narrowly avoided mountainous terrain due to a misheard ATC clearance, non-standard controller phraseology, and the crew's unmet expectations.
• The author's own flight experience revealed significant communication and coordination breakdowns within ATC, leading to an unacknowledged landing clearance and a go-around.
• Both incidents underscore that human error, miscommunication, and differing expectations between pilots and controllers are critical factors that can compromise aviation safety.
• Pilots are advised to proactively ensure clear communication with ATC, use standard phraseology, read back all clearances accurately, and maintain strong situational awareness to prevent incidents.

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