Matthew 'Whiz' Buckley

Megan, you nailed it. First of all, good afternoon. And you're right, very, very somber day, just absolutely devastating. But I think you nailed it. When the pilot in command or the pilot in the helicopter said, hey, traffic in sight, it clearly most likely wasn't the same traffic that the air traffic controller was talking about. So a couple of things, in my opinion, happened.

Megan, you nailed it. First of all, good afternoon. And you're right, very, very somber day, just absolutely devastating. But I think you nailed it. When the pilot in command or the pilot in the helicopter said, hey, traffic in sight, it clearly most likely wasn't the same traffic that the air traffic controller was talking about. So a couple of things, in my opinion, happened.

Megan, you nailed it. First of all, good afternoon. And you're right, very, very somber day, just absolutely devastating. But I think you nailed it. When the pilot in command or the pilot in the helicopter said, hey, traffic in sight, it clearly most likely wasn't the same traffic that the air traffic controller was talking about. So a couple of things, in my opinion, happened.

Once the air traffic controller hears from the Hilo crew, hey, traffic in sight, kind of a mental check in his mind that says, OK, let me go do some other things now. He has that traffic in sight. Clearly, he didn't have that exact traffic insight because he ends up hitting him. Might have had a different traffic insight, might have gotten test saturated, as John alluded to.

Once the air traffic controller hears from the Hilo crew, hey, traffic in sight, kind of a mental check in his mind that says, OK, let me go do some other things now. He has that traffic in sight. Clearly, he didn't have that exact traffic insight because he ends up hitting him. Might have had a different traffic insight, might have gotten test saturated, as John alluded to.

Once the air traffic controller hears from the Hilo crew, hey, traffic in sight, kind of a mental check in his mind that says, OK, let me go do some other things now. He has that traffic in sight. Clearly, he didn't have that exact traffic insight because he ends up hitting him. Might have had a different traffic insight, might have gotten test saturated, as John alluded to.

But I've seen what are allegedly the ATC tapes. I'm pretty sure they are the real ATC tapes on X. And when you have two contacts on your scope going towards each other, you got to say something. The controller could have potentially come up and said, hey, PAT-25, confirm that you have traffic left 11, same altitude in sight. So maybe a little bit more directive.

But I've seen what are allegedly the ATC tapes. I'm pretty sure they are the real ATC tapes on X. And when you have two contacts on your scope going towards each other, you got to say something. The controller could have potentially come up and said, hey, PAT-25, confirm that you have traffic left 11, same altitude in sight. So maybe a little bit more directive.

But I've seen what are allegedly the ATC tapes. I'm pretty sure they are the real ATC tapes on X. And when you have two contacts on your scope going towards each other, you got to say something. The controller could have potentially come up and said, hey, PAT-25, confirm that you have traffic left 11, same altitude in sight. So maybe a little bit more directive.

But as John alluded to, and you certainly said, something, a mishap like this just should not happen. And if you're a white knuckle flyer right now and you're a little worried, it's almost passe to say, but it is a hell of a lot more dangerous driving to the airport.

But as John alluded to, and you certainly said, something, a mishap like this just should not happen. And if you're a white knuckle flyer right now and you're a little worried, it's almost passe to say, but it is a hell of a lot more dangerous driving to the airport.

But as John alluded to, and you certainly said, something, a mishap like this just should not happen. And if you're a white knuckle flyer right now and you're a little worried, it's almost passe to say, but it is a hell of a lot more dangerous driving to the airport.

This doesn't happen too often, uh, because of the safeguards of the visual lookout that we have of the air traffic control procedures, something broke down. And as John knows in aviation mishaps, we call it a Swiss cheese model, right? All the holes have to align up for a mishap to happen. And it's going to be very interesting to see what the, uh, the different holes are. But, uh,

This doesn't happen too often, uh, because of the safeguards of the visual lookout that we have of the air traffic control procedures, something broke down. And as John knows in aviation mishaps, we call it a Swiss cheese model, right? All the holes have to align up for a mishap to happen. And it's going to be very interesting to see what the, uh, the different holes are. But, uh,

This doesn't happen too often, uh, because of the safeguards of the visual lookout that we have of the air traffic control procedures, something broke down. And as John knows in aviation mishaps, we call it a Swiss cheese model, right? All the holes have to align up for a mishap to happen. And it's going to be very interesting to see what the, uh, the different holes are. But, uh,

Megan, when I went to Pensacola Naval Air Station as a young naval aviator, they told me a couple of things. Aviation is a self-cleaning oven. You have got to have the most elite, the most qualified individuals in the cockpit and in the tower. Because years ago, CRM, crew resource management, we actually brought the controllers technically into the cockpit. They're kind of a crew member.

Megan, when I went to Pensacola Naval Air Station as a young naval aviator, they told me a couple of things. Aviation is a self-cleaning oven. You have got to have the most elite, the most qualified individuals in the cockpit and in the tower. Because years ago, CRM, crew resource management, we actually brought the controllers technically into the cockpit. They're kind of a crew member.

Megan, when I went to Pensacola Naval Air Station as a young naval aviator, they told me a couple of things. Aviation is a self-cleaning oven. You have got to have the most elite, the most qualified individuals in the cockpit and in the tower. Because years ago, CRM, crew resource management, we actually brought the controllers technically into the cockpit. They're kind of a crew member.

And I'll never forget one of my crusty flight instructors telling me, hey, Wiz, everybody's trying to kill you. including you. So keep your head on a swivel.

And I'll never forget one of my crusty flight instructors telling me, hey, Wiz, everybody's trying to kill you. including you. So keep your head on a swivel.