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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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Air Traffic Controllers Suspended Over Hudson Crash

During it, one was on phone with girlfriend

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(Newser) – The two air traffic controllers on duty at Teterboro Airport during Saturday's mid-air collision over the Hudson River have been suspended and will likely be fired, the New York Daily News reports. Investigators have found that one of the men was on the phone to his girlfriend at the time of the crash. The other, his supervisor, wasn't even in the control tower.

FAA investigators, who uncovered the lapses while examining air traffic control transcripts, say that while they don't believe the pair's actions are to blame for the crash that killed nine people, their behavior is unacceptable. "We have placed the employees on administrative leave and have begun disciplinary proceedings," said an FAA official.

The wreckage of a helicopter that was hit by an airplane and crashed in the Hudson River is repositioned by a crane on a pier in Hoboken, NJ.
The wreckage of a helicopter that was hit by an airplane and crashed in the Hudson River is repositioned by a crane on a pier in Hoboken, NJ.   (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, file)
A New York City Police helicopter hovers low over the Hudson River as it drops a police diver into the river following last week's crash.
A New York City Police helicopter hovers low over the Hudson River as it drops a police diver into the river following last week's crash.   (AP Photo/Patrick S. Keeley, File)
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If true, this is an unacceptable breach of the trust we put in those who watch the
city's sky. - New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg

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3 comments
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Caps
Aug 14, 09 7:02 AM CDT
Get rid of them. We sure as hell don't need these kind of people in the control tower. Reply
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Reader60610265
Aug 14, 09 8:16 AM CDT
This is just wonderful , We've got knothead train engineers text messaging getting people killed and now we have air traffic controllers calling their girlfriends . People with jobs that involve carrying passengers should not be allowed to have their cellphones on at any time while on duty . These people who do and get someone hurt or killed should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law . Reply
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IN RESPONSE:
BeatBlaster
Aug 14, 09 9:36 AM CDT
Problem is that people will do it anyway. I seen "no cellphone" rules broken all the time. Enforcement is the key and I agree with the decision to reprimand these two. Yes - they should be fired.
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