FAA Moves to Fire 2 LaGuardia Controllers Over Early Departures Before 2-Death Crash
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 27
FAA Moves to Fire 2 LaGuardia Controllers Over Early Departures Before 2-Death Crash
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 27
Summary
Two LaGuardia air traffic controllers are among about 12 nationwide whom the FAA is moving to fire after they allegedly left their posts early before the March 22 Air Canada Express crash.
The agency is treating the unrecorded early departures—known as “shoves”—as timecard fraud, widening its scrutiny beyond LaGuardia to irregularities at air traffic facilities across the country.
That crackdown adds to concerns that already short-staffed towers may have been operating with fewer controllers than official staffing figures indicated.
The NTSB is still investigating the collision between Flight 8646 and an airport fire truck, which killed 2 people, while the Transportation Department said only a small percentage of controllers were abusing the system.