'I really believed that I wouldn’t survive this flight'
Air traffic controllers honor excellence under pressure
An air traffic controller in Fresno, California, guided two U.S. Air Force pilots to a safe landing after an in-flight refueling incident that left them with minimum fuel, and a hydraulic failure. He and other controllers were celebrated by their peers for their professionalism under pressure.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) held its annual Communicating For Safety conference in Las Vegas September 15 to 17. Controllers from across the country met for three days of safety education, including new training techniques and equipment, keynotes, motivational speakers, breakout sessions, and award presentations.
“What’s the most pressing issue? All of them,” NATCA President Nick Daniels told the controllers. “You shouldn’t have better tech in your house than in your ATC facility.”
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford also addressed the convention, pointing out to participants that the recent $12.5 billion allocation in the new budget recently passed by Congress will be an initial down payment toward alleviating some of the most pressing problems.
He noted that the midair collision that took 67 lives on January 29 “transformed all of us [and] shook us out of the complacency that we had.”
“Every week, 700 little things are breaking in the national airspace system,” he said. “There is tremendous redundancy, but when you are leaning into the third and fourth layer of redundancy, that’s a red flag.”
“The president has an absolute vision that this time will be different,” Bedford added. “We will move with a sense of urgency.”
That said, FAA and NATCA leaders acknowledged that change is hard, and any change needs to be collaborative, with input from the employees on the front lines of aviation safety.
At the end of the three-day conference, NATCA celebrated its own. The Archie League Medal of Safety Awards, named for the first air traffic controller, recognize standout “saves” from each NATCA region. The awards were given for the twenty-first time this year and were chosen from 64 nominations to the selection committee.
Daniels said the air traffic controllers being honored exemplify the “professionalism, collaboration and dedication of controllers across the country,” and noted that each “save” prevented a potential catastrophe and loss of life.
A controller from NATCA’s Western Pacific Region earned the additional distinction of receiving the President’s Award, judged to have been the best save of the year.
Western Pacific Region—President’s Award
Joseph Seimas
On August 21, 2024, a McDonnell Douglas F–15 providing air support for the U.S. president and carrying live missiles was involved in an in-flight refueling accident, leading to a minimum fuel situation. In addition, the aircraft “suffered a critical hydraulic failure…. which rendered our landing gear, brakes, and speed brake inoperable,” the fighter’s pilot wrote in a report later. That meant the jet’s checklist called for a so-called “approach-end arrestment,” and Fresno Yosemite International Airport in California was the closest suitable airfield with such an arrestment system.
The aircraft attempted to land on Fresno’s Runway 29R but appeared to rip the cable out of the system. The pilots requested a visual airborne inspection of the aircraft’s landing gear, and the controller requested an F–18 from nearby Naval Air Station Lemoore to assist. The landing gear appeared intact, and since the winds were calm, the tower controller suggested the jet land on Runway 11L, as it was also equipped with an arresting cable.
The second attempt also failed.
The jet, now accompanied by an F–18 escort, diverted south to Lemoore. At Fresno, “it was determined that the tail hook [had] broken and was in pieces all over the runway.”
“[Seimas’s] quick thinking, professionalism, and outstanding coordination directly contributed to the successful recovery of an F-15E, valued at $72 million,” a supporting document of the nomination reads. “His ability to provide critical, real-time information … while airborne, as well as his coordinated efforts to clear a path for a safe landing, directly contributed to the preservation of a live ordnance loaded aircraft and 2 USAF aircrew. His leadership in managing this complex situation prevented a potential disaster and deserves the highest recognition.”
Here are the other regional winners, in alphabetical order by region:
Alaskan Region
Anthony Quintana
On April 5, 2025, controller Anthony Quintana spotted a moose on the runway at Lake Hood Airport in Anchorage, Alaska, the Class D airspace adjacent to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. The pilot of a Piper Super Cub, had been cleared to land on the field’s Runway 32, a gravel strip. But a moose had wandered onto the airport grounds. As soon as Quintana spotted the animal, he canceled the clearance and told the pilot to hold over the runway. He directed the pilot to land on Runway 33 at Anchorage International.
“Anthony did an excellent job scanning during an unusual situation while working local control at two airports and ground control,” the nomination reads. “Wildlife, especially those the size of moose can create a catastrophic hazard, his quick action and observation of the hazard display his diligence and professionalism as an air traffic controller.”
Central Region
Devin Turner, Nathaniel Mencke
A Cessna 177 Cardinal pilot became disoriented while flying in instrument conditions on the afternoon of November 3, 2024, near Iowa City Municipal Airport in Iowa. The aircraft appeared to fly through and away from the final approach course and abruptly started losing altitude and speed amid strong wind variations. Tower controllers at The Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids feared a stall-spin accident was unfolding before them.
Training was in progress on the radar position rendering ATC services and emergency assistance to the pilot, who was instructed to level the wings and climb as the aircraft was well below the minimum safe altitudes in the area.
In a letter to the controllers, the pilot later wrote, “I have no doubts that the actions of the ATC team at [Cedar Rapids Tower] saved my life on November 3rd. As I was literally descending out of the clouds that day and broke through the cloud deck just a few hundred feet above the farm fields of Iowa, I really believed that I wouldn’t survive this flight. As I worked to pull out of this spin, it was the ATC copilot in my headset that provided the calm, quiet instructions supporting my efforts.”
Eastern Region
James Barth
On the morning of February 10, 2025, a Pilatus PC–12 declared an emergency with New York Center while traveling at about 30,000 feet. The aircraft had lost its engine and required guidance to New York Stewart International Airport. The route would lead the aircraft through Boston Center’s airspace before returning for the approach to Stewart.
“James immediately coordinated with [Boston and Stewart] Tower, and the supervisor, executing each step with precision and composure,” the nomination reads. “He addressed all aspects of the aircraft emergency without missing a beat. His ability to remain calm under pressure, provide clear and decisive guidance, and maintain the highest standards of excellence demonstrates his unwavering dedication to the aviation community.”
The PC–12 landed safely and uneventfully at Stewart without its engine.
Great Lakes Region
Trent Henison, Robert Hatley
A Piper Seneca was traveling at Flight Level 250 near University of Illinois/Willard Airport and conducting air sampling. It began to climb above its assigned altitude without notice. Henison attempted to contact the aircraft on various frequencies, including 121.5, but without success. The aircraft began to move erratically, climbing to FL265 then descending again, and losing speed. The controller contacted adjacent sectors to warn of its unpredictable movements and declared an emergency on the aircraft’s behalf.
When Henison was finally able to communicate with the aircraft, the pilot’s words seemed garbled, leading the controller to suspect the pilot was suffering from hypoxia. He told the pilot to descend to 11,000 feet, but the aircraft continued to move inconsistently, up and down. The controllers were eventually able to guide the pilot to land without incident.
“Throughout this event, the controller used a variety of resources to re-establish contact with the aircraft and upon doing so, recognized the signs of hypoxia,” a summary of the incident reads. “The controller ensured a zone of safety around the aircraft, especially since the actions of the pilot were unknown and unpredictable.”
New England Region
Joshua Costello, Bryan Loquet
On April 20, 2025, a pilot in a Piper Cherokee coming from West Virginia, was attempting to land at Maine’s Belfast Municipal Airport at 11:00 p.m. local time in reduced visibility. The VFR-only pilot had been receiving flight following but could not land due to Belfast Municipal being “completely socked in with fog.”
“Josh radar-identified the aircraft and began searching for VFR conditions at airports inside our airspace and found none. The pilot requested vectors to [Bangor] for a low approach to see if they could ‘get down.’”
He called his colleague Bryan Loquet back from break, and together they began looking for any airports in the region that had VFR conditions. The closest they found was Stephen A Bean Municipal Airport in Rangeley, Maine, 80 miles to the northwest. The pilot said they “didn’t think” they could make it with the amount of fuel on board.
After a few unsuccessful attempts at landing in Bangor using the instrument landing system, the aircraft fuel gauges were on empty. Costello guided the pilot through the approach to an uneventful landing.
“The stress was high, and so were our heart rates,” wrote Loquet in his nomination of his colleague. “Without a doubt [Joshua Costello] saved the pilot’s life getting him down safely by using ASR [airport surveillance radar] approach tools and techniques to guide the pilot down through the clouds and get the runway in sight at the last possible second.”
After he was safe on the ground the pilot asked the controller, “What kind of beer do you take?”
Northwest Mountain Region
Jonathan Rossell
On the morning of June 29, 2024, a Just Aircraft Highlander, departed Sturgis Municipal Airport in the Black Hills of South Dakota VFR, and the pilot requested VFR flight following along the route to Sheridan County Airport in Wyoming. Immediately, the controllers noticed that there was a language barrier, and “the pilot did not give the most confidence in their ability to handle their current situation.”
Controllers made the decision to split out a sector to better provide service to the aircraft and other aircraft traveling at low altitude. Weather was also becoming a factor, and when asked if he was instrument qualified the pilot answered, “I'm not sure and the weather is bad.”
The controllers decided to try to guide the pilot to the closest airport to his estimated location, which was Wyoming’s Hulett Municipal Airport. He was able to land safely.
“In the high stakes of air traffic control, Mr. Rossell’s performance exemplified the epitome of professionalism and expertise,” the nomination reads. “Through his unwavering focus, technical acumen, and calm demeanor, he not only ensured the seamless flow of air traffic but also safeguarded the ultimate outcome of saving a life and property. His actions serve as a testament to the critical role air traffic controllers play in aviation safety, embodying the ethos of excellence that defines our profession.”
Southern Region
Christiaan Cambridge
The pilot of a Cessna 172 was given a frequency change by Miami Center but reported that he was having engine issues over the Everglades, and unable to maintain his altitude. “Christiaan acted swiftly and professionally…[he] was calm, cool and collected, asked the pilot standard emergency questions and then directed the pilot to a road to potentially land his aircraft on,” the nomination reads.
He vectored the aircraft to the only highway nearby, U.S. Route 27.
The controller recruited several other aircraft to assist as he assured the pilot of the struggling aircraft that he was not alone, and help was on the way. A U.S. Coast Guard aircraft also responded to the scene. The Cessna 172 landed safely on the highway with no injuries or further issues.
Southwest Region
Jade Hetes
The pilot of N15713, a Piper Cherokee, established communications with ATC over northern Arizona, requesting flight following to Belen Regional Airport in New Mexico. Shortly thereafter, she issued a Mayday call and reported engine trouble and high oil pressure. She said she had oil on her windshield.
Jade Hetes suggested the pilot head to Winslow-Lindbergh Regional Airport in Arizona or return to Flagstaff Pulliam Airport, but the pilot said she wouldn’t be able to make it. Interstate 40 was also nearby, but the pilot soon realized she wouldn’t make it and opted to land in a field about two miles north of the highway.
