Release #: 15.32
July 23, 2015
ALPA Honors First Officer Michael Oates with Superior Airmanship Award
Charleston Pilot Recognized for Successful Emergency Landing
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) today will honor Delta Air Lines First Officer Michael Oates for his role in a successful emergency landing in low visibility after a series of inflight electrical failures disabled several of the aircraft’s cockpit systems. ALPA will present First Officer Oates with the Superior Airmanship Award at its 61st Air Safety Forum.
“Through unparalleled professionalism, First Officer Oates’s commitment to safety was instrumental in this successful emergency landing,” said Capt. Michael Donatelli, chairman of the Delta Air Lines pilot group’s Master Executive Council. “Despite limited instrument references in bad weather, First Officer Oates demonstrated exemplary teamwork in order to keep the aircraft under control and ensure the safety of his passengers and fellow crewmembers.”
On Dec. 23, 2014, with more than 100 passengers and crewmembers onboard, Delta Air Lines Flight 1990 took off from Atlanta Hartsfield, destined for Savannah, Ga., under a thick blanket of cloud and fog.
First Officer Michael Oates was at the controls while Capt. James Judkins was monitoring the flight. As the airplane climbed through 8,000 feet, the pilots noted that the aircraft began to suffer a series of electrical failures, with multiple malfunction messages appearing on the cockpit displays. The autopilot and autothrottles disconnected and some flight instruments cycled on and off.
First Officer Oates gave control of the aircraft to Capt. Judkins in order to begin troubleshooting procedures. Multiple fault and failure messages appearing on the displays left the pilots saturated with information, but their collective experience led them to identify the most likely starting point—one of the aircraft’s electrical generators.
The messages on the cockpit displays popped up and disappeared so fast that it was difficult to determine the problem and whether any solution was working.
Capt. Judkins declared an emergency with Air Traffic Control (ATC), which began to guide them back to the airport, and he informed passengers that the flight was headed back to Atlanta.
Along the way, as the crew continued their efforts to find and correct the problem, some of the instruments began to function again. The weather was worsening, so Capt. Judkins asked ATC for the most precise electronic guidance available to the runway. The pilots then manually flew a “Category II” Instrument Landing System approach—normally flown aided by the autopilot—with visibility on the runway dropping to less than half a mile.
Control of the airplane was difficult due to the loss of systems that normally compensate for changes in control pressures resulting from landing gear and wing flap extension, but Capt. Judkins and First Officer Oates expertly guided the aircraft to a safe landing despite the challenges presented by this unexpected and hazardous event.
“First Officer Oates’ actions and expert piloting are a perfect example of the importance of having well-trained, highly skilled, professional pilots who can deftly work together to respond to emergency situations,” said Capt. Tim Canoll, ALPA president. “It is an honor to recognize him for these actions, the true embodiment of what this award celebrates.”
Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents over 52,000 pilots at 31 U.S. and Canadian airlines. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org or follow us on Twitter @WeAreALPA.
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CONTACT: ALPA Media, 703-481-4440 or Media@alpa.org