The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating after several airliners on approach to land at Washington Reagan National Airport Saturday morning received what appear to be false alarms from their onboard Traffic Collision Avoidance System.
"It's been happening all morning. Let me know if you see anything. No one else has seen anything except for on the TCAS," one air traffic controller can be heard telling an inbound flight, according to ATC audio reviewed by CBS News. At least five flight crews reported receiving apparent false TCAS alerts.
The pilots of American Eagle flight 4469, operated by Republic Airways, were coming into land from Pittsburgh when they received an alert. The flight was descending between 1200 and 1000 feet when TCAS instructed the pilots to take evasive maneuvers to avoid another object.
"We had to dive a little bit," one of the pilots told air traffic controllers.
www.cbsnews.com
"It's been happening all morning. Let me know if you see anything. No one else has seen anything except for on the TCAS," one air traffic controller can be heard telling an inbound flight, according to ATC audio reviewed by CBS News. At least five flight crews reported receiving apparent false TCAS alerts.
The pilots of American Eagle flight 4469, operated by Republic Airways, were coming into land from Pittsburgh when they received an alert. The flight was descending between 1200 and 1000 feet when TCAS instructed the pilots to take evasive maneuvers to avoid another object.
"We had to dive a little bit," one of the pilots told air traffic controllers.

Flights to Reagan National Airport in D.C. receive false collision alerts while landing
The FAA said that several flight crews inbound to the Reagan National Airport reported onboard alerts when no other aircraft were nearby.


FAA investigates possible collision avoidance instrument issues near DCA
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating why multiple pilots received inaccurate collision warnings while preparing to land at DCA.
www.usatoday.com