Accident investigators are trying to determine why a New York-area air traffic controller directed the pilot of a Beech Bonanza who died in the crash of his airplane earlier this month toward a nonexistent airport in the middle of an industrial area, possibly giving the man false hope as he desperately searched for a suitable emergency landing spot.
Controller Sends Pilot Killed in Crash to Nonexistent Runway
Key Takeaways:
- An air traffic controller directed a pilot experiencing an in-flight emergency to a nonexistent "Bethpage Airport" runway, which had been closed for 25 years and is now an industrial area.
- Despite the pilot's inability to locate the runway, the controller repeatedly insisted on its presence and provided guidance towards it.
- The Beech Bonanza crashed on Long Island Rail Road tracks near the site of the former airport, killing the pilot and seriously injuring a passenger.
- Investigators are probing why the controller provided erroneous information and if it distracted the pilot from finding a suitable emergency landing spot.
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