![]() The hearing also will examine human factors including decision-making, communication between pilots, fatigue and fitness for duty. The NTSB has said the hearing later this month will review landing procedures, training, adherence to standard operating procedures and proficiency. Investigators from the NTSB have said they did not find any mechanical problems with the A300-600, manufactured by Airbus. "So it's already crashed?" asked the Guard worker. "The aircraft is not coming to the airport," the controller answered. "Are we clear to go to our standby positions?" asked a worker from the fire unit at the Alabama Air National Guard installation. As airport vehicles rushed away from the central part of the field to the site, one worker struggled to understand what had happened. The UPS wreckage was in flames by then, lighting up the sky on a drizzly, overcast morning. That aircraft landed safely on the main runway just moments after it reopened. The pilot of a FedEx cargo jet that also was in the air approaching the airport radioed in that he had reduced his speed. UPS 1354 heavy crashed, uh, on the hill." The tower responds: "Airport 12, there's a crash. Less than two minutes later, the airport worker calls back to the tower: "Tower, Airport 12. "Affirm, they're very close to the end right now," answers the airport worker, apparently speaking from a vehicle near the runway. ![]() "Airport 12 are, uh, we, uh, on schedule to open back up at (5 a.m.)?" he asks. "Yes sir, the localizer 18 will work," Fanning says.Ībout 45 seconds after he clears the UPS flight to land, the controller is heard asking an airport worker about getting the main runway back in operation. The controller tells her the primary runway is still closed and asks if they want to land on Runway 18. ![]() On the audio recording, UPS First Officer Shanda Fanning is heard talking with an air traffic controller in the Birmingham tower about the aircraft's approach. Pilots consider the approach to the shorter runway to be more tricky because of the lack of full instrumentation and a large hill at the end of the runway, but the NTSB has not indicated whether the runway's configuration might have been a factor. The main runway, which had a more complete guidance system, was closed for maintenance on its lights during the crash, which occurred about 15 minutes before the main runway was supposed to reopen. 20 in Washington to determine the likely cause of the crash. The recording will be part of the evidence as the National Transportation Safety Board conducts a hearing set for Feb. The recording shows a cargo jet from UPS competitor FedEx landed safely on the main runway just a few minutes after the crash.
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