Both the primary and main backup frequencies went down, forcing the controller to use emergency frequencies to relay the orders to the pilot.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Denver air traffic controllers were forced to quickly switch to emergency backup frequencies after losing contact with the plane for about 90 seconds earlier this week.
This is the latest in a series of equipment failures that have sparked concerns about the country’s aging air traffic control system.
The blackout occurred Monday afternoon at the Denver Airways Traffic Control Center, Frank McIntosh, FAA’s head of air traffic control.
McIntosh told lawmakers at a House hearing Thursday that radar systems remained active while the suspension disrupts communications.
Both the primary and main backup frequencies went down, forcing the controller to use emergency frequencies to relay the orders to the pilot.
“The controller used a different frequency to relay instructions to the pilot. The aircraft remained safely separated and had no impact on operations,” the statement said.
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The Denver incident follows two well-known radar and communications halts over the past two and a half weeks at the Philadelphia facility to guide planes inside and outside Newar Liberty International Airport.
A third similar issue occurred on Sunday, but at that point the backup system worked well and kept the radar online.
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) said he was worried about the increased frequency of such failures during Thursday’s hearing.
“We know there are staffing and equipment issues with air traffic control,” Garcia said. “We know that in some cases we go back decades, but that’s still an absolutely shocking system failure and we need an immediate solution.”
The FAA currently has a staffing target of approximately 3,500 controllers, leading to delays and mandatory overtime.
Last year, agents shifted control of Newark airspace to Philadelphia to address crowds and staffing in the New York City area.
Billion Dollar Plans
In Thursday’s OP-ED in Newsweek, head of the writer Sean Duffy said that despite the outdated system, air travel remains safe. He calls Newark’s recent outage “unacceptable” and is preventable with timely upgrades.
Duffy has announced a multi-billion dollar plan to modernize its air traffic control infrastructure.
The FAA acknowledged that frequent outages are stressful for the controller, saying it works to ensure more reliable equipment and update the automation system.
Following the recent outage, airlines and FAA discussed flight cuts in Newark due to insufficient staffing and equipment issues, with more than 140 flights cancelled at the airport on Thursday.
United Airlines, Newark’s biggest airline, has announced it will cancel 35 flights per day (10% of its daily schedule) after CEO Scott Kirby described it as a “chaotic week” of delays and conversions caused by technology failures.
Discussions between the FAA and airlines over flight reductions in Newark are expected to continue Friday, but an immediate decision is not expected.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
