Mxsmanic wrote in
:

Kobra writes:

I did not mean to be misleading and of course I don't have all the
facts. Using only the information I do have, I feel it a fact that he
spent needless time lecturing a GA pilot who was also illegally in
the TCA. It would not be a stretch to infer that this distracted him
from his scope. No one can say that it's not *possible* or even
likely that if he didn't give his lecture that he may have seen the
conflict and warned the airliner about the VFR target's position and
direction of flight with the typical "altitude known".

Hey, who knows, but I am surprised yet happy that this person came
back to the FAA and ATC. The show *Air Emergency* (which is how I
learned about this) made it appear that once he came back to work, he
immediately decided that ATC was not for him and he never worked for
ATC again. I'm happy everything worked out for him. I felt really
bad for him when I saw the show.

If this is the one, I see no mention of ATC distraction:

NTSB Identification: DCA86AA041A.
The docket is stored on NTSB microfiche number 31249.
Scheduled 14 CFR Part 129: Foreign AERONAVES DE MEXICO, S.A.
Accident occurred Sunday, August 31, 1986 in CERRITOS, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 3/7/1988
Aircraft: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32, registration: XAJED
Injuries: 82 Fatal, 8 Minor.

The Safety Board's full report on this investigation is provided as
Aviation Accident Report number AAR-87/07. To obtain a copy of this
report, or to view the executive summary online, please see the Web
site at http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/publictn.htm


AT APRX 1140 PDT, A PIPER PA-28, N4891F, DEPARTED TORRANCE, CA ON A
VFR FLT TO BIG BEAR, CA. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLT TURNED EASTBOUND TWD
THE PARADISE VORTAC WITH HIS X-PONDER SQUAWKING 1200. AT THAT TIME,
AEROMEXICO FLT 498 (DC-8, MEX REGISTRY XA-JED) WAS ON ARRIVAL, RCVG
NORTHBOUND VECTORS FM LAX APCH CTL (AR-1 CTLR) FOR AN ILS APCH TO THE
LAX INTL ARPT. AT 1151:04, THE CTLR ASKED FLT 498 TO RDC SPD TO 190
KTS & DSCND FM 7000' TO 6000'. DRG THIS TIME, THE CTLR WAS CTLG OTR
TRAFFIC & PROVIDING RADAR ADVISORIES, BUT DIDN'T SEE A DISPLAY FOR
N4891F ON HIS SCOPE. AT 1152:09, N4891F & FLT 498 CONVERGED & COLLIDED
AT APRX 6560', THEN FELL TO THE GND. AN INV REVEALED N4891F HAD
INADVERTENTLY ENTERED THE LAX TERMINAL CONTROL AREA (TCA) & WASN'T IN
RADIO CONTACT WITH ATC. LAX TRACON WASN'T EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTO
CONFLICT ALERT SYS & THE ANALOG BEACON RESPONSE FM N4891F'S X-PONDER
WASN'T DISPLAYED DUE TO EQUIP CONFIGURATION. N4891F'S PSN WAS
DISPLAYED BY AN ALPHANUMERIC TRIANGLE, BUT THE PRIMARY TARGET WASN'T
DISPLAYED DUE TO AN ATMOSPHERIC INVERSION.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable
cause(s) of this accident as follows:
RADAR,APPROACH/DEPARTURE..INADEQUATE
PROCEDURE INADEQUATE..FAA(OTHER/ORGANIZATION)


Contributing Factors

IDENTIFICATION OF AIRCRAFT ON RADAR..NOT ATTAINED
PROCEDURES/DIRECTIVES..NOT FOLLOWED..PILOT OF OTHER AIRCRAFT
UNSAFE/HAZARDOUS CONDITION..INADVERTENT..PILOT OF OTHER AIRCRAFT
VISUAL LOOKOUT..INADEQUATE..PILOT OF OTHER AIRCRAFT
VISUAL LOOKOUT..INADEQUATE..PILOT IN COMMAND


Nobody cares what you see, you moron.