A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/1164912
26 Over the 15 years of the Archie League Medal of Safety Award program, we have seen a few controllers win multiple times in their region. But one controller handling two separate emergencies in the same airspace at the same time? This is unprecedented. That's precisely what happened on Feb. 15, 2019. Controller Michael Schawinsky, a 12-year veteran who has worked the past five years at Houston TRACON (I90), was working the SanJac satellite position (B). The weather in Houston was instrument flight rules (IFR) with low ceilings, although reports indicated that there was better weather closer to the coast. Shortly after sitting down, Schawinsky accepted a handoff on N1221U, a Cessna 172. The pilot appeared to be in distress, making tight circles and descending in the IFR conditions. After the transferring controller was able to get the aircraft level and on a radar vector, they were switched to Schawinsky's frequency. He then vectored the aircraft for a Required Navigation (RNAV) approach into Ellington Airport (EFD), located southeast of downtown Houston. It didn't take long before it became evident to the team at I90 that the aircraft was still in trouble. He had trouble flying headings and maintaining altitude. At one point, the airspeed seemed especially low. "I'm showing 50 knots across the ground there now," Schawinsky told the pilot, reminding him to check his airspeed. "Roger that, I'll pick it up," the pilot replied. Unfortunately, the aircraft was unable to successfully join the final approach course for EFD. Schawinsky declared an emergency for the aircraft and the pilot requested to go to Scholes International Airport in Galveston (GLS) and attempt a visual approach. The pilot was unable to fly an instrument approach and the weather was simply too poor at other closer airports to try an approach. After giving the pilot an initial vector for GLS, another aircraft also declared an emergency. It was N733ZZ, another Cessna 172, which was doing practice SOUTHWEST REGION Michael Schawinsky, Houston TRACON