Overdue Caravan on a Wilson to Lamu Flight
At 0915 UTC, Wilson Tower receives no further contact from 5Y-SAF, a Cessna 208 Caravan that departed Wilson at 0710 UTC for Lamu with two crew and six passengers. The pilot's last radio call was at 0802 UTC, reporting 40 NM east of Wilson at 7,500 ft, estimating Lamu at 0910 UTC. No ELT has been detected. A search-and-rescue satellite system alert is not available. The aircraft's company agent reports it did not arrive, and there is no answer on the company frequency. Weather along the route includes isolated cumulonimbus and 20 km visibility; the aircraft has 4 hours' fuel endurance. The ARCC has not been alerted. You are the duty ATC supervisor.
1. What phase applies at 0915 UTC and what initial actions do you take?
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The aircraft is only five minutes past its 0910 ETA, but there has been no position report since 0802 and no answer on the company frequency. Apply the uncertainty phase now: safety is uncertain and the prescribed reporting interval has been exceeded. Start a communications search before declaring a full emergency. Actions: check the flight plan and last known position, plot the 0802 position 40 NM east of Wilson at 7,500 ft, attempt contact on company frequency, Lamu Tower, adjacent ATS units and Wilson operations, and ask other aircraft to relay on 121.5. Check radar/ADS-B and ELT detection again. Record all times and calls. Do not yet dispatch search aircraft unless evidence of distress appears; the fuel endurance gives until about 1110 UTC, so there is a defined window before the distress phase.
2. Describe the communications search and when you would involve the ARCC.
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The communications search should cover all likely listeners: company operations, Lamu Tower, en-route ATS, military units, nearby aircraft, and any aerodrome along the route. Transmit on 121.5 and the company frequency, ask for relay, and check whether the aircraft has filed a revised estimate or changed frequency. Keep a log of every attempt. If no contact is established by 0925 UTC, 15 minutes after ETA, escalate to the alert phase and notify the ARCC. Pass the flight plan, registration, type, persons on board, fuel endurance, last known position and time, altitude, weather, ELT status, actions already taken, and the probable search area. The ARCC then decides whether to alert or dispatch SAR assets; ATS continues the communications search and provides any radar or flight-plan data.
3. When would you declare the distress phase, and what information must go to the RCC?
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Declare the distress phase when there is evidence that the aircraft and occupants are in serious or imminent danger: confirmed forced landing, wreckage, ELT detection, fuel exhaustion, an overdue time beyond fuel endurance, or a report from a reliable source. With 4 hours' endurance from 0710 UTC, the aircraft cannot reasonably be airborne after about 1110 UTC without a confirmed diversion. At that point, or earlier if wreckage or an ELT is reported, declare distress and hand over to the RCC. Pass: callsign and registration, type, persons on board, route, last known position/time/altitude, fuel state, ELT status, weather, frequencies, actions taken, and the contact details for the company and ATC supervisor. Keep the RCC updated as new position or relay information arrives.