An air-traffic controller whose quick thinking helped prevent a crash and possibly saved lives at Tucson International Airport has been recognized for his effort.
Scott Allen recently received the Archie League Medal of Safety Award, the highest honor from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, for his work during the incident last year.
On Nov. 9, 2017, Allen was working at TIA trying to maintain mixed-aircraft traffic using a shortened runway and a runway crossing during a period of construction that created uncommon, and sometimes confusing, situations.
In the incident, a private plane crossed the path of one of four F-16s cleared to land on a shortened runway.
Allen anticipated that the private aircraft was not going to stop in time and warned the pilot of the second F-16 just in time to enable him to pull up and avoid a crash.
A video of the incident shows nothing but sky and a clear runway as the F-16 descends. Immediately after Allenβs warning, the fighter jet shoots up.
At the award ceremony, the pilot recalled how Allenβs command prompted an instant response to pull up.
Officials say the planes missed each other by as little as 20 feet.
βThe guys that were on my left and right, helping me get through ... had they not been there, things wouldnβt have been as effective as it was,β Allen said this week.
Allen also said the F-16 pilot was instrumental in making sure the outcome turned out safely.
βHad he hesitated at all, we wouldβve had a different ending to this story.
βI think Iβve always been a cautious controller, but Iβm at a whole other level now,β Allen said.
βI donβt mind delaying someone if we have to just to make sure things are a little bit safer.β
