19
Blatnik: 0BZ roger. Cleared visual approach, I'm just letting you know there's traffic there. Cleared visual approach
Runway 27.
Blatnik continued to relay important information to the struggling pilot. Scheele coordinated a descent path
with the controller in charge of the lower airspace, directing all aircraft away from the Cessna. Scheele also
coordinated with the tower at TIX to ensure there would be no other traffic in the aircraft's path.
In emergency situations, it is nearly impossible to predict how quickly an aircraft will descend. Blatnik and
Scheele knew that quickly moving all aircraft out of the way was crucial to the safety of the pilot and everyone in
the airspace. The pilot was beginning to sound frantic. Then he stopped responding for a few seconds.
Blatnik: N0BZ cleared to land any runway.
Blatnik: N0BZ cleared to land any runway, Space Coast Airport.
N400BZ: 0BZ.
As the aircraft rapidly descended, the pilot alerted Blatnik that he had lost an engine. Blatnik was able to give
immediate clearance to the pilot in distress through his ability to quickly and effectively move nearby aircraft
around without error or incident. Blatnik cleared the Cessna for visual approach to TIX and the aircraft landed
safely, but then caught fire on the runway shortly after the pilot safely exited the aircraft.
RVP Jim Marinitti:
Air traffic controllers work in an environment where we are expected to be right 100 percent
of the time. There are no do-overs in a situation like this. Donald and Kenneth stepped up on
the spot, during a busy session, without missing a beat. Without their fast actions, there is a
possibility the pilot and his passengers would not have made it to the ground and out of the
aircraft in time. Their actions represent the professionalism, teamwork, and bond that holds
the National Airspace System together.
