2019 Archie League Medal of Safety Awards: Eastern Region

Eastern Region #ArchieLeague winner: Brian Rabinowitz (New York TRACON, N90). It was a routine takeoff from Westchester County Airport (HPN) in White Plains, N.Y., for N142KR on Dec. 13, 2018. The single-engine 2009 Mooney Acclaim Type S (M20) departed Runway 16 after obtaining clearance from New York TRACON (N90), which had coordinated with HPN ATCT on a 90-degree left hand turn and a climb to 3,000 feet. Things started to get busy for controller Brian Rabinowitz, a 10-year veteran at N90. He immediately observed the Mooney pilot not adhering to the pre-coordinated instructions. The aircraft was flying erratically, initially turning to the northeast, then to the south-southwest, and then back to the east. HPN ATCT called, reporting that the aircraft needed to return. It was solid instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), with 1.5-mile visibility and moderate snow. HPN then switched control of the aircraft to Rabinowitz. The pilot was at 1,500 feet and requested a “re-landing” at HPN. “I could tell from the pilot’s voice that something was wrong, but at that time didn’t know the severity of the issue,” Rabinowitz said. Read more: https://natca.org/index.php/insider-a... #NATCACFS2019