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Air Traffic Controller Caught Watching Movie on the Job

For three minutes, planes heard Samuel L. Jackson instead of instructions

By Evann Gastaldo, Newser Staff

Posted Apr 19, 2011 8:16 AM CDT

(Newser) – Note to air traffic controllers: Watching a DVD at work may help to keep you awake, but ultimately it's not much better than napping. A controller in Oberlin, Ohio, learned that lesson the hard way early Sunday, when his microphone was accidentally activated and began transmitting the audio from the Samuel L. Jackson thriller Cleaner to all the planes in his airspace for more than three minutes. The controller and a manager have been suspended, the AP reports.

Because his microphone was stuck in the transmit position, the controller was unable to give instructions to planes or hear incoming radio calls during the three minutes. A military pilot alerted officials to the problem. The Wall Street Journal notes that, according to the FAA, the controller brought his own personal DVD player to work with him. This marks the eighth suspension this year related to controllers or supervisors failing to respond while on the job; click to see what the government is doing about it.

An air traffic control tower is shown. (Getty Images)

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 11 comments

toeser

Apr 19, 2011 8:44 PM CDT

"The controller and a manager have been suspended" This is what chaps my ass about government and union jobs, and more importantly government union jobs. They have zero accountability. Nobody ever gets fired. Hell, they are probably suspended with pay, otherwise called a vacation in the private sector.

Fascist_Jack

Apr 19, 2011 1:31 PM CDT

More proof that Obama's philosophy that government agencies are the key to national empowerment is a joke. This is probably just the tip of the ice berg in terms of how government agencies fail to enforce rules/safety & laws the way they are suppose to. If this new mass problem of neglectful ATCs is occurring, it just means the government czars that over see things like this are just as incompetent at the wheel.

JackNelsonSteward

Apr 19, 2011 10:51 AM CDT

I'm sorry, dude ... but just HOW fucking STUPID do you have to be to be watching movies on the job as an ATC ... RIGHT NOW!!!??? as TONISh ing!!

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Air Traffic Controller Caught Watching Movie on the Job

For three minutes, planes heard Samuel L. Jackson instead of instructions

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

FAA • air traffic control • air traffic controllers • Federal Aviation Administration

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Another controller nodded off in Nevada yesterday

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Knoxville air traffic controller intentionally slept, FAA says

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