Air Traffic Controller Didn't Warn Pilot

An air traffic controller was on a personal phone call when he failed to tell a small plane's pilot that a helicopter was in its path, the New York Post reports. He then tried to contact the pilot, unsuccesffully, before the two aircrafts collided, killing nine people. The Federal Aviation Administration has suspended the air-traffic controller and his supervisor from New Jersey's Teterboro Airport after Saturday's catastrophic accident, pending an investigation. The National Transportation Safety Board said in a report that the controller remained on his call while instructing the plane's pilot until the accident happened, and did not warn the pilot about other aircraft in its path. Additionally, "the supervisor was not present in the building as required." The airplane carried three people, while the helicopter—a sightseeing vehicle—carried five tourists from Bologna, Italy, and one pilot. The FAA has begun disciplinary proceedings, but said Thursday that "we have no reason to believe at this time that these actions contributed to the accident." The Italian victims were celebrating a wedding anniversary; their pilot had manned helicopter tours for a year and a half. The airplane victims were a pair of adult brothers from Pennsylvania and the younger brother's 16-year-old son.