After Fatal Collision, NTSB Wants FAA to Push for More Use of Common Traffic Advisory Frequencies

Safety board’s preliminary report on 2020 midair collision in Alaska suggests CTAF would have helped avoid it.

Meg Godlewski

Wednesday, March 09, 2022 at 06:59 PM ET

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The area in Alaska where the collision occurred. [Courtesy: NTSB]

Key Takeaways:

The NTSB recommends the FAA require pilots to monitor and communicate on Common Traffic Advisory Frequencies (CTAF) when operating near non-towered airports, particularly in designated areas in Alaska.
This recommendation stems from the preliminary investigation into a 2020 midair collision near Soldotna, Alaska, which resulted in seven fatalities.
The NTSB further urges the FAA to establish additional CTAF areas in Alaska with mandatory position reporting to mitigate recurring midair collisions in the state's uncontrolled airspace.

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The National Transportation Safety Board wants the FAA to urge pilots to make more use of common traffic advisory frequencies (CTAF) as a tool to avoid midair collisions near non-towered airports.

The recommendation comes from lessons learned during the preliminary investigation into the collision of a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver and a Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser near Soldotna, Alaska, that resulted in seven fatalities.