FLIGHT 800: TRAGEDY’S AFTERMATH : Radar Problem Causes Delays at LAX
A mysterious problem with the radar at the Federal Aviation Administration’s traffic control center in Palmdale stalled the arrival and departure of more than 100 flights at Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday, FAA officials said.
The interruption in radar service lasted only 70 minutes, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:40 p.m., but that was enough to cause delays of hundreds of flights at airports in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Diego and Ontario. The cause of the problem is under investigation.
FAA officials said they were forced to shift to a backup system, but were able to maintain radio communications with all aircraft.
The delay resulted when air traffic controllers, as a safety precaution, increased the separation between arriving and departing aircraft from the customary three to five miles to between 10 and 20 miles, forcing some planes to wait for takeoff or landing.
Despite heightened anxiety nationally over flying in the wake of the crash of TWA Flight 800 on Wednesday, travelers seemed unperturbed about Saturday’s delays at LAX, officials said.
By nightfall, air traffic control was completely restored.
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