T8 B17 Faa Trips 2 Of 3 Fdr- Faa Controllers- Interview Outline 13 Pg Version

FAA Controllers - Interview Outline I.

Introduction A. The September 11 Commission is an independent, bipartisan Commission created by Congress and the President to investigate the facts and circumstances surrounding the 9-11 attacks and make recommendations to prevent and prepare for future terrorist attacks. B. We are not part of the congressional "Joint Inquiry" whose report has been in the news recently. The Joint Inquiry's mandate is more limited and narrower than our mandate. The Joint Inquiry's investigation was limited to the review of intelligence agencies' actions and the collection of counterterrorism intelligence prior to the 9-11 attacks. We have a much broader mandate, namely, to review the "facts and circumstances surrounding" the 9-11 attacks. Among other areas of inquiry, our Commission is looking at airport security, the FAA's interaction with the four hijacked aircraft, the military's response to the attacks, the national leadership's response to the attacks and U.S. immigration policies prior to 9-11. C. We are members of the Commission staff team focusing on the FAA's tracking and the military's attempted interdiction of the hijacked airliners. One of the Commission's goals is to create a complete and factually accurate account of what transpired on 9-11 when our country was attacked by suicide bombers using commercial aircraft as weapons of mass destruction. We asked to meet with you based on the fact that you are FAA employees who had some form of interaction with one or more of the hijacked aircraft on 9-11. We are also very interested in your thoughts concerning recommendations the Commission may make to prevent future terrorist attacks. D. We are not investigating you personally. Moreover, we are not a prosecuting body and do not have grand jury powers. E. We will use the information that we obtain from you in today's interview to assist the Commissioners prepare their report to Congress and the President. In this regard, we need to accurately record the information you give us today. For that reason, the Commission's rule is to tape record all interviews. A Memorandum for the Record ("MFR") will be created following your interview and you will not be permitted to review this MFR because of the time constraints faced by the Commission. F. We appreciate you taking the time to meet with us today and tell us about your job in general as well as your specific job experience on 9-11. We

trust that you understand the ground rules for the interview. Before we begin the interview, do you have any questions about why we are here and what we are doing? Did anyone discuss the subject matter of today's interview with you prior to today? If so, who? Did anyone at the FAA or elsewhere instruct you not to discuss or to discuss certain subject matters today? If so, who? What subject matters? II.

FAA Employee's Background A. Describe your education and training prior to becoming an FAA controller. B. LENGTH OF SERVICE WITH FAA? C. POSITIONS HELD? WHEN EACH POSITION WAS HELD? D. What classroom and/or field training did you receive to prepare you for each position you have held? E. Describe the supervisory chain of command?

III.

Job Description on 9-11 EXPLAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR POSITION HELD ON 9-11-01. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS—EXPLAIN OPERATION OF RADAR SCOPE. DESCRIBE THE TYPE OF INFORMATION YOU RECEIVE ON THE RADAR SCOPE WHEN TRACKING COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT. IDENTITY OF AIRLINE CARRIER? FLIGHT NUMBER? DIRECTION OF AIRCRAFT? ALTITUDE? SPEED OF AIRCRAFT? Who else — within FAA or elsewhere —is seeing this same information? Can other ARTCC/TRACON/ATCT facilities or the Herndon Command Center also see this data? Will it be displayed differently?

Describe to me what happens when there is a technical failure and you lose data display? Does this happen for individual flight information of would the whole system go down? Describe other circumstances where you may lose flight tracking data? How is your Center organized? Role of supervisors/managers? Role and duties of Radar Associate? How/when do you interact with the airlines? How/when do you interact with the Command Center? With HQ? How many aircraft do you typically handle on any given weekday morning? IV.

Pre-9-11 Training and Procedures Related to Nordo Aircraft HOW DID YOU HANDLE NORDO AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO 9-11? FAA SOP? WRITTEN GUIDELINES? REACTION TO NORDO AIRCRAFT BASED ON JOB EXPERIENCE? DESCRIBE METHODS USED TO CONTACT NORDO AIRCRAFT. HOW OFTEN WOULD YOU ENCOUNTER NORDO AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO 9-11? WHAT WAS TYPICAL LENGTH OF TIME THAT AIRCRAFT WOULD REMAIN NORDO PRIOR TO 9-11? REASONS FOR NORDO AIRCRAFT YOU ENCOUNTERED PRE- 9-11? MECHANICAL FAILURE? ELECTRICAL FAILURE? PILOT NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO CONTROLLER? COCKPIT INTRUSION? HIJACKING?

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Pre-9-11 Training and Procedures Related to Non-Transponding Aircraft HOW DID YOU HANDLE AIRCRAFT THAT LOST TRANSPONDER SIGNAL PRIOR TO 9-11? FAA SOP? WRITTEN FAA GUIDELINES TO GUIDE REACTION TO LOSS OF TRANSPONDER? DID JOB EXPERIENCE GUIDE YOUR RESPONSE TO AIRCRAFT THAT LOST TRANSPONDER SIGNAL? NOTIFICATION TO SUPERVISOR? WHEN? DESCRIBE METHODS USED TO CONTROL AIRCRAFT THAT LOST TRANSPONDER SIGNAL. HOW OFTEN WOULD YOU ENCOUNTER AIRCRAFT LOSS OF TRANSPONDER SIGNAL PRIOR TO 9-11? WHAT WAS TYPICAL LENGTH OF TIME THAT AIRCRAFT WOULD REMAIN WITHOUT TRANSPONDER SIGNAL PRIOR TO 9-11? REASONS FOR NON-TRANSPONDING AIRCRAFT YOU ENCOUNTERED PRE- 9-11? MECHANICAL FAILURE? ELECTRICAL FAILURE? COCKPIT INTRUSION? HIJACKING? HOW CAN YOU DETERMINE ALTITUDE OF AIRCRAFT WITHOUT TRANSPONDER SIGNAL? NORDO AND WITHOUT TRANSPONDER? WHAT ABOUT SPEED OF AIRCRAFT?

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Pre-9-11 Training and Procedures Related to Aircraft Course Deviations CONTROLLER RESPONSES TO AIRCRAFT THAT DEVIATED SIGNIFICANTLY FROM ITS INTENDED COURSE PRIOR TO 9-11? WHAT WAS FAA SOP? WRITTEN GUIDELINES?

DID YOU HAVE ANY ON THE JOB EXPERIENCE THAT EXPLAINED HOW TO DEAL WITH AIRCRAFT THAT DEVIATED SUBSTANTIALLY FROM ITS INTENDED COURSE? HOW OFTEN DID THIS HAPPEN PRIOR TO 9-11? WHAT WERE THE REASONS? WEATHER RELATED? MECHANICAL FAILURE? HIJACK? NOTIFICATION TO SUPERVISORS? WHEN? WHO? HOW? PRE 9-11 EXPERIENCES REALTED TO HANDLING COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT THAT: 1) WERE NORDO AND HAD LOST THE TRANSPONDER SIGNAL AND 2) WERE NORDO, LOST TRANSPONDER SIGNAL AND HAD DEVIATED SIGNIFICANTLY FROM ITS INTENDED COURSE?

VII.

Pre-9-11 Training and Procedures Related to Hijacked Aircraft

Procedures on 9/11 WHAT WERE HIJACK PROCEDURES AND PROTOCOL IN PLACE ON 911? How did you know that this was the protocol? Was this subject "taught" or included as part of your training? Please describe. WHAT WAS YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROLE YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO PLAY IN RESPONDING TO A HIJACKING SITUATION? FAA STANDARD PROCEDURES TO FOLLOW? WRITTEN FAA GUIDELINES? EXPLAIN PROCEDURES FOR DECLARING A HIJACK? EXPLAIN PROCEDURES FOR NOTIFYING SUPERVISORS? WHO DO YOU NOTIFY? HOW? WHEN? On 9/11, what were the manuals/documents you would have turned to for guidance?

On 9/11, how would you have detected a hijacking situation? Nordo Aircraft Non-Transponding Aircraft Course Deviation EXPLAIN YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF FAA PROCESS FOR NOTIFICATION OF A HIJACKING TO THE MILITARY? WAS THERE AN FAA SOP OR PROTOCOL FOR REQUESTING MILITARY ASSISTANCE? WERE YOU AWARE OF ANY FAA MANUALS OR WRITTEN GUIDELINES THAT GOVERNED HOW FAA WAS SUPPOSED TO NOTIFY THE MILITARY OF A HIJACKED COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT? HOW ABOUT THE PROTOCOL FOR REQUESTING MILITARY ASSISTANCE/INTERVENTION? WAS THIS WRITTEN DOWN SOMEWHERE? WAS THE MILITARY SUPPOSED TO ESCORT THE HIJACKED AIRCRAFT? WHAT FAA EMPLOYEE POSITION(S) WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR NOTIFYING THE MILITARY? REQUESTING MILITARY ASSISTANCE? ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH NEADS AND THE ROLE IT WOULD PLAY IN A MILITARY RESPONSE TO A REPORTED HIJACK? DID YOU KNOW HOW TO CONTACT NEADS? DID YOU KNOW WHO TO CONTACT AT NEADS? WHAT ABOUT NORAD? DID YOU KNOW HOW TO CONTACT NORAD? DID YOU KNOW WHO TO CONTACT AT NORAD? ON 9-11, WHAT DID YOU THINK WAS THE NEAREST MILITARY BASE THAT COULD OFFER ZNY ASSISTANCE IN RESPONDING TO A HIJACKING? ON 9-11, HOW WOULD AN FAA CONTROLLER DIRECT OR VECTOR A MILITARY AIRCRAFT TO ESCORT A HIJACKED AIRCRAFT THAT WAS NORDO AND HAD ITS TRANSPONDER OFF?

HOW DO YOU DETERMINE ALTITUDE? PRE-9-11 HIJACK EXERCISES (1) Prior to 9-11,what type of exercises - sponsored by either FAA, FEMA, DoD, or some combination thereof- related to hijackings have you ever participated in? If you have never participated in an exercise involving a hijack scenario, are you aware of others who have? What about after 9-11 (i.e. today)? (2) Prior to 9/11, had you heard of or were you aware that others within FAA were aware of the potential for a suicide hijacking scenario? VIII.

The Events of 9-11 WHEN DID YOUR SHIFT START ON 9-11? WHAT POSITION WERE YOU ASSIGNED TO ON 9-11? WHAT WERE YOUR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AS AN FAA (E.G., CONTROLLER, AREA SUPERVISOR, OPERATIONS MANAGER, TMU SPECIALIST) ON THAT DAY? FOR AT CONTROLLERS: What region of airspace were you responsible for on 9-11? What altitude did you control? From 8:00 a.m. to approximately 10:00 a.m., approximately how many aircraft were you scheduled to control? Was this a normal workload? Describe in your own words what happened in this Center on 9/11? SITUATIUONAL AWARENESS WITH REGARD TO AAL 11: WHEN DID YOU LEARN THAT AAL 11 WAS HEADED TOWARDS NEW YORK CENTER'S AIRSPACE? HOW DID YOU LEARN AAL 11 WAS COMING TOWARDS N.Y.? WHO NOTIFIED YOU ABOUT AAL 11? WHAT WERE YOU TOLD ABOUT AAL 11? WERE YOU ADVISED IT WAS NORDO? WERE YOU TOLD AAL 11 LOST ITS TRANSPONDER SIGNAL?

WERE YOU ADVISED ABOUT THE COCKPIT CONVERSATIONS THAT WERE OVERHEARD? WERE YOU TOLD AAL 11 WAS A HIJACK IN PROGRESS? WHAT WAS YOUR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS REGARDING ANY REQUESTS FOR MILITARY ASSISTANCE? DID YOU KNOW THAT BOSTON CENTER HAD REQUESTED MILITARY ASSISTANCE W/R/T AAL 11? DID THERE COME A TIME WHEN YOU LOST THE PRIMARY RADAR FOR AAL 11? WHAT DID YOU THINK HAPPENED TO AAL 11? WHEN YOU HEARD THAT WTC 1 WAS HIT BY AN AIRCRAFT, DID YOU IMMEDIATELY THINK THE IMPACT WAS FROM AAL 11? IF NOT, WHAT DID YOU THINK CAUSED THE IMPACT INTO WTC 1? EXPLAIN THE NOTIFICATIONS MADE WHEN YOU LOST THE PRIMARY RADAR FOR AAL 11 ? WHO DID YOU NOTIFY? FAA ROC—ANE; FAA WOC; FAA COMMAND CENTER AT HERNDON? WHAT DID YOU TELL THEM HAPPENED WITH RESPECT TO AAL 11? (SEE TIMELINE THAT SAYS "MAYBE NOT AAL 11 INTO WTC PER MCCORMICK" AT 9:35 A.M.) EXPLORE INTERVIEWEES KNOWLEDGE OF ANY REPORTS THAT AAL 11 WAS STILL AIRBORNE AFTER WTC 1 WAS STRUCK. SITUATIUQNAL AWARENESS WITH REGARD TO UAL 175: DID YOU HANDLE ANY ASPECT OF THE CONTROL OF UAL 175 AFTER IT ENTERED NEW YOURK'S AIRSPACE FROM BOSTON'S AIRSPACE? (DAVE BOTTIGLIA AT RADAR POSITION 42 HAD LAST NORMAL CONTACT WITH UAL 175 AT APPROXIMATELY 8:42 a.m. AT APPROXIMATELY 8:52 a.m., BOTTIGLIA ASKS UAL 175 TO

RECYCLE ITS TRANSPONDER AND TO RESPOND BY RADIO AND UAL 175 NEVER RESPONDS). WHEN DID YOU NOTICE THAT UAL 175 WAS NORDO? WHAT DID YOU DO IN RESONSE? DID YOU NOTIFY ANY SUPERVISORS? IF SO, WHO DID YOU ADVISE? WAS UAL 175 STILL ON ITS INTENDED COURSE WHEN IT WENT NORDO? WHEN DID YOU OBSERVE THAT UAL 175 WAS NOT TRANSPONDING? DID YOU KNOW THAT UAL 175 HAD CHANGED ITS TRANSPONDER CODE? HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT IT WAS UAL 175 ON A NEW MODE 3 TRANSPONDING CODE? WAS UAL 175 STILL FOLLOWING ITS INTENDED FLIGHT PATH WHEN IT SWITCHED ITS TRASPONDER CODE? DID UAL 175 DEVIATE SIGNIFICANTLY FROM ITS COURSE PRIOR TO IMPACT? DID THERE COME A TIME WHEN YOU DETERMINED THAT UAL 175 HAD BEEN HIJACKED? WHEN? DID SOMEONE AT ZNY OFFICIALLY DECLARE UAL 175 HIJACKED PRIOR TO ITS IMPACT INTO WTC 2? WHEN? WHAT FACTORS LED YOU TO DETERMINE THAT UAL 175 WAS HIJACKED? (NORDO, CHANGE OF TRANSPONDER SIGNAL, COURSE DEVIATION, FIRST REPORT THAT AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO WTC 1) WHO WAS ADVISED THAT UAL 175 WAS HIJACKED? WHEN WERE THEY ADVISED THAT UAL 175 WAS HIJACKED? WAS THE NEW YORK ROC ADVISED? IF SO, WHO WAS TOLD? WHEN WERE THEY TOLD? WAS FAA HEADQUARTERS (I.E., THE WOC) ADVISED? IF SO, WHO WAS TOLD? WHEN WERE THEY TOLD?

WAS FAA COMMAND CENTER AT HERNDON ADVISED THAT UAL 175 WAS HIJACKED? IF SO, WHO WAS TOLD? WHEN WERE THEY TOLD? WOULD YOU HAVE CONCLUDED THAT UAL 175 WAS HIJACKED ABSENT YOUR AWARENESS THAT AAL 11 WAS HIJACKED? WOULD YOU HAVE CONCLUDED THAT UAL 175 WAS HIJACKED ABSENT YOUR AWARENESS THAT AN AIRCRAFT WAS REPORTED TO HAVE STRUCK WTC 1? WHAT ACTIONS DID YOU TAKE WHEN YOU DETERMINED THAT UAL 175 HAD BEEN HIJACKED? DESCRIBE NOTIFICATIONS TO SUPERVISOR(S). IF YOU ARE AWARE, WHAT ACTIONS DID YOU SUPERVISORS TAKE? WHAT ACTIONS, IF ANY, DID YOU OR ANYONE ELSE AT ZNY TAKE TO NOTIFY THE MILITARY THAT UAL 175 WAS HIJACKED? DID ANYONE AT ZNY ASK FOR MILITARY ASSISTANCE (e.g., A MILITARY ESCORT) WITH RESPECT TO UAL 175? DO YOU KNOW WHAT NEADS IS AND WHAT ROLE IT WOULD PLAY IN RESPONSE TO A REPORTED HIJACK? WHAT ABOUT NORAD? WHO AT THE FAA COORDINATED WITH NORAD/NEADS SO THE MILITARY COULD RESPOND AND PINPOINT THE LOCATION OF UAL 175 TO IDENTIFY AND ESCORT IT? WHAT ABOUT AAL 11? How come NORAD/NEADS could not find AA 11 on its radar scopes? Did someone FROM Boston Center, the FAA WOC or the ATCSCC (i.e. the Command Center) advise you that the hijackers aboard AAL 11 said "WE HAVE SOME PLANES"? Had you ever participated in an exercise (i.e., test drill) concerning the control of a commercial aircraft that was NORDO for more than five minutes? Had you ever participated in an exercise (i.e., test drill) concerning the control of a commercial aircraft that was NORDO and had lost its transponder signal?

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What about an aircraft that had substantially deviated from its course in addition to loss of radio contact and transponder signal? Prior to 9-11, had you ever participated in an exercise (i.e., test drill) that involved the military's intercept of a hijacked commercial aircraft? How about the military intercept of a hijacked commercial aircraft that was NORDO, lost its transponder signal and had substantially deviated from its intended course? Prior to 9-11, had you ever participated in an exercise that involved the military's intercept of a commercial aircraft hijacked by terrorists who planned to crash the planes into buildings in the U.S.? Had you ever received or heard about any internal or external intelligence reports, FAA information circulars or Security Notices that described such a scenario? What capabilities, if any, did you have to determine the altitude and speed of AA 11 in the absence of a transponder signal? When an aircraft changes its transponder code like UAL 175 did, what effect does it have on your ability to track the aircraft (i.e., how, if at all, does it change the data on your radar screen)? Situational Awareness Did there come a time prior to the media report of the first WTC crash that you felt this was not the normal hijacking scenario (e.g., a hijacking for ransom or political asylum)? What factors led you to believe that the situation aboard AA 11 was much more ominous than the traditional hijacking scenario? In addition to tracking the path of AA 11 (and/or UAL 175) after it was deemed a hijacked aircraft, were you responsible for handling other aircraft? How many other aircraft were you responsible for? Why weren't you permitted to focus solely on the hijacked aircraft? Explore facts and circumstances that influenced controller's determination concerning the identity of aircraft that struck WTC 1 and WTC 2. Explore the rebirth of AA 11. What capabilities, if any, did you have to determine whether AA 11 had crashed somewhere in NYC or if it was still airborne? Explore direct and indirect knowledge of FAA or NORAD reports that AA 11 was airborne after 8:46 a.m. and the basis for such reports.

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FACTORS UNDERLYING DECISION TO GROUND DEPARTURES AND TO DECLARE ZNY ATC ZERO WHEN DID YOU DECIDE TO GROUND STOP ALL AIRCRAFT SCHEDULED TO DEPART FROM WITHIN YOUR CENTER? Describe the specific facts and circumstances that influenced the timing of your FAA center's decision to ground all departures? WHAT FACTORS LED YOU TO DECLARE A ZNY GROUND STOP? Describe the specific facts and circumstances that influenced the timing of your FAA center's decision to declare ATC zero? Was there established protocol for these decisions on 9-11? If so, did your facility practice for this scenario? If not, is there protocol today to govern these decisions and are they practiced? Discuss aspects of FAA HQ Order to Ground Stop all aircraft. Was there a protocol or plan in place that explained how to implement a NATIONAL ground stop order? If not, describe how the NATIONAL ground stop was achieved without any incidents or accidents. Is there a written plan today? Is it practiced today? Discuss aspects of FAA Order to Ground all airborne aircraft. Was there a plan in place to implement the order to ground all traffic? If not, describe how the ORDER TO GROUND ALL AIRBORNE AIRCRAFT was achieved without any incidents or accidents. Did someone devise an ad hoc plan on 911 to ground all traffic? Is there a written plan today? Is it practiced today? Explore witness' knowledge of SCAT ANA. What is your understanding of the SCAT ANA procedure? Have you ever participated in a SCAT ANA exercise? Prior to 9-11? Post 9-11? Explore witness' involvement in any military exercises prior to 9-11? After 9-11? Describe nature of exercises and witness' role. Explore whether witness participated in or had knowledge of any military exercises that may have occurred on 9-11? If the answer is yes, explore whether the military exercise added any confusion to the real world hijackings. Do you believe the FAA system in place on 9-11 to control aircraft and respond to a potential hijacking contained the mechanisms (e.g., training, equipment, technology, etc.,) necessary to effectively respond to the events of 9-11? If not, explain. What kinds of training, equipment, etc., do you believe was not in place?

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What lessons, if any, did you learn from the events of 9-11 as they impacted yourjob? In terms of crisis management and response, what do you think worked well on 9/11? What failures do you see that occurred that day? How would you describe FAA's preparedness today for another hijacking incident? What are the outstanding weaknesses? (e.g., are you, as a controller, adequately prepared and trained to deal with events today similar to those that transpired on 9-11? If not, explain. Do you believe that your role as an FAA controller today has changed from what that role was on the morning of 9-11? If so, how has your role changed? (Safety vs. Security) Are you adequately prepared and trained to deal with your role today? If not, what are you lacking? Do you believe the FAA is armed with all the available technology and equipment to help you track an aircraft today if it was hijacked by terrorists? What changes, if any, would you make within the FAA to better defend against terrorists who plan to use aircraft as weapons of mass destruction? If you were a member of the 9/11 Commission, looking at the aviation issues, what recommendation(s) would you have to make the system safer? ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS— Are you aware of any after-action reports or assessments that were done about the events of the day? ANY TIMELINES CREATED BY YOU REFLECTING EVENTS OF 9-11? ANY PERSONAL NOTES CREATED AFTER 9-11 REFLECTING THE DAY'S EVENTS? Describe the relationship and the nature of interaction between the FAA and the Military (e.g., NEADS) prior to 9-11? What is your view today of the FAA's relationship with NORAD? If you recall any information after today's interview that you did not discuss with us today, you believe is important or think the Commission should know about, please contact me and let me know. Is there anything that you would like to discuss with me or inform the Commission about that you have chosen not to discuss because of the presence of the FAA minder?

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