Parker Corts
Anchorage Center
6
Anchorage Center NATCA member Parker Corts, a six-year
air traffic control veteran, and a private, single engine
instrument-rated pilot, was working the southeast Alaska
sector on August 8, 2014, when he noticed a Comanche
pilot was having trouble navigating. Corts cleared the pilot,
who was inbound to Juneau, to the LYNNS intersection to
begin the LDA X 8 approach into the airport.
For unknown reasons, the pilot was unable to find the
intersection, so Corts vectored the aircraft for the localizer.
He patiently gave multiple vectors and altitudes to the
Comanche pilot, trying to keep the aircraft on course.
After issuing the aircraft a heading of 100, Corts noticed
the pilot was not flying the heading, even though he had
read back the clearance correctly. Instead, the pilot was
flying a 010 heading and heading directly for higher terrain.
At that point, Corts' expertise and instincts as an air traffic
controller and pilot kicked in. He knew something was not
okay in the aircraft.
Corts: N67P, fly heading 1-0-0, vector to intercept the
localizer, proceed inbound, maintain 7,000, report
established on the localizer.
N6267P: 67P to turn 1-0-0 to intercept the localizer and
maintain seven until doing so.
Corts: N67P, say heading.
N6267P: 67P is heading 0-1-0.
At no time did the pilot offer that he was having trouble, but
he clearly was unable to maintain headings or altitudes,
find fixes, or tune in to VORs. Finally, the pilot mentioned
that his equipment did not appear to be working correctly.
Corts, knowing full well the implications of malfunctioning
equipment near terrain, immediately enlisted the
assistance of another aircraft in the area. He asked the
pilot to relay several vital transmissions to the aircraft in
distress. Corts, through the assisting pilot, was able to
help the Comanche pilot in navigating to an area where he
could maintain ground contact.
