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10 Aug Lost aircraft busted the Bravo and flew in to the LAX final
Original ATC Communication
Plain English Translation
PILOT_ALASKA_229
Tower, good evening. Alaska 229 is about three miles from Lima for runway 25 left.
PILOT_ALASKA_229
Tower, good evening. This is Alaska Flight 229, we're about three miles from the Lima approach point, heading for the left-hand runway facing west.
LAX_TOWER
Volaris 914, LA Tower.
LAX_TOWER
Volaris Flight 914, this is the Los Angeles Tower.
PILOT_VOLARIS_914
Contact, Volaris 914.
PILOT_VOLARIS_914
We hear you, Tower, Volaris 914 is on the line.
LAX_TOWER
Volaris 914, traffic at 1 o’clock, less than a mile northbound, at 1,200 feet. Type unknown.
There is an aircraft at 1,100 feet about three miles east of LAX Airport. Who is the aircraft three miles east of LAX?
LAX_TOWER
Volaris 914, watch out for another plane just ahead and slightly to your right, less than a mile away flying north at 1,200 feet. We don't know what kind of aircraft it is. There is also a plane at 1,100 feet about three miles east of the airport. Can that unidentified aircraft three miles east of LAX identify themselves?
PILOT_ALASKA_229
Tower, Alaska 229, a mile and a half from Lima.
PILOT_ALASKA_229
Tower, Alaska 229 here, we’re now just a mile and a half from the Lima waypoint.
LAX_TOWER
Alaska 229, LA Tower. Wind 230 at 6, runway 25 left, cleared to land.
LAX_TOWER
Alaska 229, LA Tower. The wind is coming from the southwest at 6 knots. You are officially authorized to land on the left-hand runway facing west.
PILOT_ALASKA_229
Cleared to land 25 left, Alaska 229.
PILOT_ALASKA_229
Authorized to land on the west-facing left runway, Alaska 229.
LAX_TOWER
Police 16, are you on the call?
LAX_TOWER
Police Helicopter 16, are you listening to this frequency?
POLICE_16
16, affirmative.
POLICE_16
Police 16, that’s correct.
LAX_TOWER
We just had a Class Bravo violator. He passed in the final; just let me know. He’s three miles final for runway 24. I think he’s circling—he’s coming back.
Alaska 229, traffic alert. Traffic at 12 o’clock, three miles southbound, altitude indicates 1,300 feet, type unknown. It does have a transponder, but nobody is talking to that aircraft, including Approach Control. Do you have that traffic in sight?
LAX_TOWER
We just had someone fly into our restricted airspace without permission. He cut across the landing path; just keep me posted. He’s three miles out from the runway. I think he’s circling—he’s coming back toward us.
Alaska 229, heads up, we have a traffic alert. There is a plane directly in front of you, three miles away heading south, at about 1,300 feet. We don't know what kind of aircraft it is. It shows up on our radar, but the pilot isn't talking to anyone, including the regional controllers. Do you see him out there?
PILOT_ALASKA_229
Yeah, we’ve got him in sight at 12 o’clock and going southbound.
PILOT_ALASKA_229
Yes, we have him in sight directly ahead of us, heading south.
LAX_TOWER
Alaska 229, thank you.
He’s circling back. He’s aiming for another aircraft right now, passing right behind him on a one-mile final for 24. We think it might be a helicopter. And he’s heading back toward Hawthorne Airport right now.
LAX_TOWER
Alaska 229, thank you.
He’s looping back around. It looks like he’s actually aiming for another plane right now, flying right behind them just a mile from the runway. We think it might be a helicopter. Now he’s heading back toward Hawthorne Airport.
POLICE_16
Roger, Police 16. If I could, let's go about five miles to the 405, look for him there.
POLICE_16
Understood, Police 16. I'm going to head about five miles out toward the 405 freeway to look for him there.
LAX_TOWER
Police 16, what was the current location of that aircraft?
LAX_TOWER
Police 16, where exactly is that plane located right now?
POLICE_16
He’s over Hawthorne Airport right now at 2,100 feet, southbound. I don’t know if he’s going to continue toward Torrance. He’s on downwind for Hawthorne now at 2,000 feet. He’s lost—yeah, he appears to be lost.
POLICE_16
He’s right over Hawthorne Airport at 2,100 feet, heading south. I’m not sure if he’s going to keep going toward Torrance. He’s flying parallel to the runway at Hawthorne now at 2,000 feet. He looks lost—yeah, he definitely seems to be lost.
LAX_TOWER
Alaska 229, he has exited the airspace. Wind 230 at 6, runway 25 left, cleared to land.
LAX_TOWER
Alaska 229, that plane has left the restricted area. The wind is 6 knots from the southwest, and you are officially authorized to land on runway 25-Left.
PILOT_ALASKA_229
Cleared to land 25 left. Yeah, you called him at 1,300 feet; he was a lot higher than that. He climbed up.
PILOT_ALASKA_229
We're cleared to land on the left runway, number 25. And yeah, you reported that other plane was at 1,300 feet, but he was actually much higher than that. He was climbing.
LAX_TOWER
Okay. Skywest 5934, LA Tower, taxi full length.
LAX_TOWER
Understood. Skywest 5934, this is LA Tower, taxi all the way to the end of the airfield.
PILOT_SKYWEST_5934
Full length, Skywest 5934. It did look like he was lower initially here in front of us, 5934.
PILOT_SKYWEST_5934
Taxiing to the end, Skywest 5934. From where we are out front, it did look like he was lower when we first saw him.
LAX_TOWER
Thank you. Police 16, if you're southbound, he’s at your 12 o’clock, four miles.
LAX_TOWER
Thanks. Police 16, if you're heading south, that aircraft is directly ahead of you, four miles out.
POLICE_16
16, I’ve got a tally-ho on that aircraft. I’ve got a sister ship to the south, up the Harbor Freeway. We’ll see if we can make contact.
POLICE_16
16, I’ve got eyes on that plane. I have a partner helicopter to the south over the Harbor Freeway. We’ll see if we can get a hold of him.
LAX_TOWER
Thank you. Volaris 914, did you get the aircraft type by any chance?
LAX_TOWER
Thank you. Volaris 914, were you able to tell what kind of aircraft that was?
PILOT_VOLARIS_914
Negative, Volaris 914.
PILOT_VOLARIS_914
No, we didn't see it, Volaris 914.
LAX_TOWER
Volaris 914, thank you. Hold short of runway 25 right at Tango.
LAX_TOWER
Volaris 914, thanks. Stop and wait before you reach the right runway, number 25, at the intersection for taxiway Tango.
PILOT_VOLARIS_914
Hold short 25 right at Tango, Volaris 914.
PILOT_VOLARIS_914
Volaris 914, stopping and waiting before we reach runway 25 right at taxiway Tango.
LAX_TOWER
United 1077, LA Tower. Wind 230 at 6, runway 25 left, cleared to land.
LAX_TOWER
United 1077, this is LA Tower. The wind is from the southwest at 6 knots, and you’re all set to land on runway 25 left.
PILOT_UNITED_1077
25 left, cleared to land, United 1077.
PILOT_UNITED_1077
Runway 25 left, we're cleared to land, United 1077.
LAX_TOWER
Skywest 5934, it’ll be just a moment. United 398, RNP DOCKR. Wind 220 at 6, runway 25 right, cleared for takeoff.
LAX_TOWER
Skywest 5934, wait just a moment. United 398, follow the DOCKR satellite-based departure route. Wind is from the southwest at 6 knots, runway 25 right, you're cleared for takeoff.
PILOT_UNITED_398
RNP DOCKR, cleared for takeoff 25 right, United 398.
PILOT_UNITED_398
Following the DOCKR departure, cleared for takeoff on 25 right, United 398.
LAX_TOWER
Skywest 5934, runway 25 right, line up and wait. Did you have a request?
LAX_TOWER
Skywest 5934, taxi onto runway 25 right and wait there. Did you have something you wanted to ask?
PILOT_SKYWEST_5934
Line up and wait 25 right, Skywest 5934. We just wanted to give you a heads-up: we had contact all the time with that aircraft and it looks like he was moving pretty quick too. That aircraft that was here earlier, low and then moved to the southeast, looks like he was moving pretty fast too.
PILOT_SKYWEST_5934
Pulling onto 25 right to wait, Skywest 5934. Just a heads-up: we saw that other plane the whole time and he was really moving. That aircraft from a moment ago that was low and then headed southeast—he was definitely going fast.
LAX_TOWER
Skywest 5934, thanks. We do have Hawthorne to the south and east of us, but this aircraft completely broke the final and completely went into the Class Bravo airspace.
LAX_TOWER
Thanks, Skywest 5934. We have traffic from Hawthorne airport to our southeast, but that plane totally cut across the landing path and flew right into our most restricted, busy airport airspace.
PILOT_SKYWEST_5934
We had him on visual; it looked like he was even heading toward Long Beach in that direction.
PILOT_SKYWEST_5934
We saw him with our own eyes; it looked like he was even heading toward Long Beach in that direction.
LAX_TOWER
Okay, thank you, sir. I appreciate that.
United 1077, traffic at 9 o’clock, one mile, appears to be northbound. Altitude unknown. We did have a violator aircraft earlier; it appeared to be a fixed-wing type. I have a speed on that aircraft of 140 knots over the ground. Do you see him at 9 o’clock?
LAX_TOWER
Okay, thank you, sir. I appreciate the help. United 1077, keep an eye out for a plane a mile away directly to your left, heading north. We don't know how high he is. He's the same rule-breaker we saw earlier, looks like a standard small airplane. He's moving at about 160 miles per hour across the ground. Do you see him off your left side?
PILOT_UNITED_1077
Looking... negative.
PILOT_UNITED_1077
We're looking... but we don't see him.
LAX_TOWER
Okay, thank you. Police 16, if your sister ship is down there right now, he is heading northbound now on the...
LAX_TOWER
Understood, thank you. Police 16, if your partner helicopter is in the area right now, that rogue plane is heading north now on the...
POLICE_16
Okay, roger that. We’ve got Sheriffs and our sister ship also taking a look there. Police, go ahead and follow that aircraft to the ground.
POLICE_16
Okay, copy that. We have the Sheriff's helicopters and our other unit looking for him too. Team, go ahead and track that plane until it hits the ground.
LAX_TOWER
We just want to see if you can get a tail number. Your call. He’s—I don’t know if he’s trying to land Hawthorne, but he’s on a one-mile final for Hawthorne Airport.
LAX_TOWER
We’re just hoping you can get close enough to read his identification number off the tail. It's your call. He—I'm not sure if he's landing at Hawthorne, but he's just a mile away from the runway there.
POLICE_16
Roger. LA Tower for Police 16, verify you want us to ramp check that Cessna or that individual at Hawthorne?
POLICE_16
Copy. LA Tower, this is Police 16, just to be sure, you want us to go down and intercept that pilot on the ground at Hawthorne?
LAX_TOWER
Affirmative. It looks like he’s trying to land there; he’s on a one-mile final for Hawthorne.
LAX_TOWER
That's correct. It looks like he's definitely trying to land there; he's just a mile out from the runway at Hawthorne.
POLICE_16
Copy. We’ve got Sheriffs that are going to be doing that for us, and we’ll switch over.
POLICE_16
Understood. We have Sheriff's deputies who are going to handle that for us, and we'll switch our radio frequency now.
LAX_TOWER
Affirmative. We’ll need all his information if they’re able to get on the airport and get it from him.
LAX_TOWER
Yes. We’re going to need all of his personal information if the deputies are able to get onto the airfield and get it from him directly.
PILOT_UNITED_1077
United 1077, traffic no factor now.
PILOT_UNITED_1077
United 1077 here, that other aircraft is no longer a collision risk for us.
LAX_TOWER
All right, and he landed Hawthorne.
LAX_TOWER
Alright, and just so you know, he has touched down at Hawthorne airport.
POLICE_16
LA Tower, do you have a callback number?
POLICE_16
LA Tower, do you have a phone number where we can reach you?
LAX_TOWER
It’s 310...
LAX_TOWER
The number is area code 310...
POLICE_16
Copy. LA Tower, verify for 16: did you get him on radar landing at Hawthorne?
POLICE_16
Understood. LA Tower, can you confirm for our unit: did you actually see him on your radar screen landing at Hawthorne?
LAX_TOWER
Affirmative.
LAX_TOWER
That is correct.
POLICE_16
And was there a tag on that N-number?
POLICE_16
Was there an identification label showing up on radar with that tail number?
LAX_TOWER
No, he had his transponder turned off.
LAX_TOWER
No, he had his tracking beacon turned off, so we couldn't see any details.
POLICE_16
Copy.
POLICE_16
Understood.
POLICE_18
Hawthorne traffic, Police Copter 18 is going to be taking off to the west, 25 Alpha, turning back. Police 16, approved to change to Hawthorne, let's check our other aircraft.
POLICE_18
Hawthorne airport, Police Copter 18 is taking off toward the west from the end of the runway and turning back. Police 16, you’re clear to switch to the Hawthorne radio channel, let's check in with our other units.
POLICE_16
Police 16, approved.
POLICE_16
Police 16, switching over now.
POLICE_18
Hawthorne traffic, Police Copter 18, Harbor Freeway and the 105, 500 feet inbound, working overhead Hawthorne. And 18 is on the ground.
POLICE_18
Hawthorne traffic, Police Copter 18 is over the Harbor Freeway and the 105 at 500 feet, flying right over the airport. And we are now on the ground.
POLICE_16
Copy, we’ll do high cover. Thanks, Hawthorne. Police 16, maneuvering overhead, numbers 25 Hawthorne. To that aircraft: we’ve got a law enforcement action just to your east. We'll be taking the taxiway.
Hawthorne traffic, Police 16 is overhead, just west of the numbers. We’ll stay outside the pattern.
POLICE_16
Got it, we’ll watch from high above. Thanks, Hawthorne. Police 16 is circling over the start of runway 25. To that nearby plane: we’ve got a police operation happening just to your east, so we’ll be using the side taxiway. Hawthorne traffic, Police 16 is right above the runway entrance; we'll stay clear of the normal landing path.
PILOT_CESSNA
I’ll make a wide pattern.
PILOT_CESSNA
I'll fly a much wider loop around the airport to stay out of your way.
POLICE_16
Thank you, sir. Appreciate that. No worries.
18, you're good to go; we’ll clear off. Hawthorne traffic, Police Copter 16 is going to be departing to the east, staying south of the 105 freeway.
LA Tower, Police 16 is back with you, Harbor Freeway and the 105, 600 feet, for the 1.
POLICE_16
Thanks, sir. Appreciate the help, no worries. Unit 18, you’re all set to move; we’re getting out of your way. Hawthorne area traffic, Police Copter 16 is taking off toward the east and staying south of the 105 freeway. LA Tower, Police 16 is back on your frequency, over the Harbor and 105 freeway interchange at 600 feet, heading for the Harbor Freeway corridor.
LAX_TOWER
Police 16, cleared to enter the LA Bravo airspace.
LAX_TOWER
Police 16, you’re authorized to enter the busy Los Angeles restricted airspace.
POLICE_16
16. And just as a follow-up, the phone calls are being made now.
POLICE_16
This is 16. Just as a quick update, we’re making those coordination phone calls right now.
LAX_TOWER
Thanks, yeah, we’re talking to them.
LAX_TOWER
Thanks, yeah, we’re already on the line with them.
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