Jet Crash Transcripts Reveal Confusion on Takeoff

The pilot of an executive jet that crashed into Otay Mountain last month and an FAA flight service specialist engaged in a confusing dialogue over departure instructions from Brown Field before the doomed plane departed, according to a transcript released Friday.

Capt. Don Holms, veteran pilot of the twin-engine Hawker Siddeley aircraft, had three separate conversations with a flight service specialist at Montgomery Field, going over departure procedures each time.

Montgomery Field is about 20 miles north of Brown Field on Otay Mesa, where Holms was taking off from and whose tower was not operating at the time.

FAA officials have refused to identify the specialist or allow the employee to be interviewed by the media. A flight service specialist is not authorized to direct air traffic, but is responsible for “ancillary things,” such asfiling pilots’ flight plans and giving weather briefings.

At one point, Holms asked the unidentified FAA employee if he should turn toward the northeast and stay below 3,000 feet when taking off in an easterly direction from the airport at Otay Mesa. The employee gave Holms approval, saying, “Yeah, sure, that’ll be fine.”

Less than three minutes after takeoff, the airplane slammed into Otay Mountain, which rises 3,572 feet and is situated about 10 miles east of the airport.

The jet’s two-person crew and eight members of country singer Reba McEntire’s band died in the 1:43 a.m. crash March 16.

Although Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board officials said that it was the pilot’s responsibility to know the mountain’s location, an owner of the Texas company that chartered the Hawker Siddeley said the flight service specialist was also to blame for giving Holms confusing instructions on departure rules.

“Holms asked the guy if he could take off eastbound and stay at 3,000 feet,” said Roger Woolsey, part owner of Prestige Touring. “It’s up to that guy to say, ‘No, there’s a mountain there.’ But he said it was OK. Holms did exactly what he told the flight service (specialist) he was going to do. So, he hit the mountain. I don’t see how this other guy can escape any responsibility.”

FAA spokesman Frank O’Donnell refused to comment on Woolsey’s charges but reiterated that federal aviation regulations make the pilot “ultimately responsible.”

“The issue of instructions that a controller or specialist gives a pilot . . . does not relieve the pilot of responsibility, even if he gets the wrong information,” O’Donnell said.

According to the transcript released by the FAA, the flight service specialist at one time appeared to give Holms departure instructions for Lindbergh Field.

“OK. Brown. Brown. Brown. Brown. . . . Look under San Diego . . . Lindbergh. OK. Which runway will you be departing on, sir?” the specialist said.

Said Woolsey: “He knew Holms was leaving Brown Field, but he (specialist) couldn’t find the departure rules for Brown. It sounds like the guy was substituting Brown departure rules with Lindbergh’s.”

The FAA specialist eventually gave Holms departure instructions for takeoffs eastbound and westbound from Brown Field, and Holms indicated that he understood the instructions. Brown Field officials said that most takeoffs at the airport occur to the west, over the Pacific Ocean and away from Otay Mountain.

Holms took off to the east, under visual flight rules, and was going to file a flight plan to Amarillo, Tex., once in the air.

Before Holms took off, he asked the specialist if there was a special instrument departure plan for Brown Field. The transcript suggests that Holms was having a difficult time finding such a plan for the airport.

”. . . Let me find it for you, and I’ll read it to you because they are very particular how you depart,” said the specialist. “ . . . Let’s see. Even I have a hard time finding it in here. It’s, I think it’s in this in this STAR (Standard Arrival plan).”

Holms sounded confused and asked the specialist why the instrument departure plan for Brown Field would be in the arrival plan for the airport.

“I know it’s funny, but,” said the specialist without finishing the sentence. The special instrument instructions were eventually found and given to Holms.

FAA spokesman O’Donnell refused to comment on any aspect of the conversation between Holms and the flight service specialist. National Transportation Safety Board officials were unavailable for comment Friday.

Despite two conversations with the FAA employee about departure instructions, Holms called him a third time, apparently still confused over the instructions. The pilot reminded the specialist that he was going to be taking off under visual flight rules (VFR).

Holms told the specialist that flying under visual rules and the departure instructions he was given would put him in controlled airspace called a terminal control area (TCA). Woolsey said that this is a violation of federal aviation regulations.

“I question that,” Holms said to the specialist.

“Yeah, I understand what you’re saying now,” the specialist responded.

“I’m breaking right into the TCA without a clearance,” said Holms.

“That’s right. Yeah, that’s right. You are,” said the specialist.

“So, I would be better off if I headed . . . northeast and stayed down, say down below three thousand. . . . Do you agree on that,” Holms said.

“Yeah, sure. That’ll be fine,” answered the specialist.

According to the transcript, Holms again reminded the specialist that he would be flying under visual flight rules that would quickly put him in controlled air space, without clearance.

“Yeah, that’s right. I forgot. I keep forgetting. I keep forgetting you’re climbing out VFR to get your clearance in the air,” said the specialist.