FAA Controllers - Interview Outline

I. Introduction

A. The September 11 Commission is an independent, bipartisan Commission

created by Congress and the President to investigate the facts and
circumstances surrounding the 9-11 attacks and make recommendations to
prevent and prepare for future terrorist attacks.

B. We are not part of the congressional "Joint Inquiry" whose report has been
in the news recently. The Joint Inquiry's mandate is more limited and
narrower than our mandate. The Joint Inquiry's investigation was limited
to the review of intelligence agencies' actions and the collection of
counterterrorism intelligence prior to the 9-11 attacks. We have a much
broader mandate, namely, to review the "facts and circumstances
surrounding" the 9-11 attacks. Among other areas of inquiry, our
Commission is looking at airport security, the FAA's interaction with the
four hijacked aircraft, the military's response to the attacks, the national
leadership's response to the attacks and U.S. immigration policies prior to
9-11.

C. We are members of the Commission staff team focusing on the FAA's

tracking and the military's attempted interdiction of the hijacked airliners.
One of the Commission's goals is to create a complete and factually
accurate account of what transpired on 9-11 when our country was
attacked by suicide bombers using commercial aircraft as weapons of
mass destruction. We asked to meet with you based on the fact that you
are FAA employees who had some form of interaction with one or more
of the hijacked aircraft on 9-11. We are also very interested in your
thoughts concerning recommendations the Commission may make to
prevent future terrorist attacks.

D. We are not investigating you personally. Moreover, we are not a

prosecuting body and do not have grand jury powers.

E. We will use the information that we obtain from you in today's interview
to assist the Commissioners prepare their report to Congress and the
President. In this regard, we need to accurately record the information you
give us today. For that reason, the Commission's rule is to tape record all
interviews. A Memorandum for the Record ("MFR") will be created
following your interview and you will not be permitted to review this
MFR because of the time constraints faced by the Commission.

F. We appreciate you taking the time to meet with us today and tell us about
your job in general as well as your specific job experience on 9-11. We
 trust that you understand the ground rules for the interview. Before we
begin the interview, do you have any questions about why we are here and
what we are doing? Did anyone discuss the subject matter of today's
interview with you prior to today? If so, who? Did anyone at the FAA or
elsewhere instruct you not to discuss or to discuss certain subject matters
today? If so, who? What subject matters?

II. FAA Employee's Background

A. Describe your education and training prior to becoming an FAA

controller.

B. LENGTH OF SERVICE WITH FAA?

C. POSITIONS HELD? WHEN EACH POSITION WAS HELD?

D. What classroom and/or field training did you receive to prepare you for
each position you have held?

E. Describe the supervisory chain of command?

III. Job Description on 9-11

EXPLAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR POSITION HELD ON

9-11-01.

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS—EXPLAIN OPERATION OF RADAR

SCOPE.

DESCRIBE THE TYPE OF INFORMATION YOU RECEIVE ON THE

RADAR SCOPE WHEN TRACKING COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT.

IDENTITY OF AIRLINE CARRIER? FLIGHT NUMBER?

DIRECTION OF AIRCRAFT?

ALTITUDE?

SPEED OF AIRCRAFT?

Who else — within FAA or elsewhere —is seeing this same information? Can
other ARTCC/TRACON/ATCT facilities or the Herndon Command Center
also see this data? Will it be displayed differently?
 Describe to me what happens when there is a technical failure and you lose
data display? Does this happen for individual flight information of would the
whole system go down? Describe other circumstances where you may lose
flight tracking data?

How is your Center organized?

Role of supervisors/managers?

Role and duties of Radar Associate?

How/when do you interact with the airlines?

How/when do you interact with the Command Center? With HQ?

How many aircraft do you typically handle on any given weekday morning?

IV. Pre-9-11 Training and Procedures Related to Nordo Aircraft

HOW DID YOU HANDLE NORDO AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO 9-11?

FAA SOP?

WRITTEN GUIDELINES?

REACTION TO NORDO AIRCRAFT BASED ON JOB EXPERIENCE?

DESCRIBE METHODS USED TO CONTACT NORDO AIRCRAFT.

HOW OFTEN WOULD YOU ENCOUNTER NORDO AIRCRAFT PRIOR

TO 9-11?

WHAT WAS TYPICAL LENGTH OF TIME THAT AIRCRAFT WOULD

REMAIN NORDO PRIOR TO 9-11?

REASONS FOR NORDO AIRCRAFT YOU ENCOUNTERED PRE- 9-11?

MECHANICAL FAILURE? ELECTRICAL FAILURE?

PILOT NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO CONTROLLER?

COCKPIT INTRUSION?

HIJACKING?
V. Pre-9-11 Training and Procedures Related to Non-Transponding Aircraft

HOW DID YOU HANDLE AIRCRAFT THAT LOST TRANSPONDER

SIGNAL PRIOR TO 9-11?

FAA SOP?

WRITTEN FAA GUIDELINES TO GUIDE REACTION TO LOSS OF

TRANSPONDER?

DID JOB EXPERIENCE GUIDE YOUR RESPONSE TO AIRCRAFT

THAT LOST TRANSPONDER SIGNAL?

NOTIFICATION TO SUPERVISOR? WHEN?

DESCRIBE METHODS USED TO CONTROL AIRCRAFT THAT LOST

TRANSPONDER SIGNAL.

HOW OFTEN WOULD YOU ENCOUNTER AIRCRAFT LOSS OF

TRANSPONDER SIGNAL PRIOR TO 9-11?

WHAT WAS TYPICAL LENGTH OF TIME THAT AIRCRAFT WOULD

REMAIN WITHOUT TRANSPONDER SIGNAL PRIOR TO 9-11?

REASONS FOR NON-TRANSPONDING AIRCRAFT YOU

ENCOUNTERED PRE- 9-11?

MECHANICAL FAILURE? ELECTRICAL FAILURE?

COCKPIT INTRUSION?

HIJACKING?

HOW CAN YOU DETERMINE ALTITUDE OF AIRCRAFT WITHOUT

TRANSPONDER SIGNAL? NORDO AND WITHOUT TRANSPONDER?

WHAT ABOUT SPEED OF AIRCRAFT?

VI. Pre-9-11 Training and Procedures Related to Aircraft Course Deviations

CONTROLLER RESPONSES TO AIRCRAFT THAT DEVIATED

SIGNIFICANTLY FROM ITS INTENDED COURSE PRIOR TO 9-11?

WHAT WAS FAA SOP?

WRITTEN GUIDELINES?
 DID YOU HAVE ANY ON THE JOB EXPERIENCE THAT EXPLAINED
HOW TO DEAL WITH AIRCRAFT THAT DEVIATED
SUBSTANTIALLY FROM ITS INTENDED COURSE?

HOW OFTEN DID THIS HAPPEN PRIOR TO 9-11?

WHAT WERE THE REASONS?

WEATHER RELATED?

MECHANICAL FAILURE?

HIJACK?

NOTIFICATION TO SUPERVISORS? WHEN? WHO? HOW?

PRE 9-11 EXPERIENCES REALTED TO HANDLING COMMERCIAL

AIRCRAFT THAT: 1) WERE NORDO AND HAD LOST THE
TRANSPONDER SIGNAL AND

2) WERE NORDO, LOST TRANSPONDER SIGNAL AND HAD

DEVIATED SIGNIFICANTLY FROM ITS INTENDED COURSE?

VII. Pre-9-11 Training and Procedures Related to Hijacked Aircraft

Procedures on 9/11

WHAT WERE HIJACK PROCEDURES AND PROTOCOL IN PLACE ON 9-

11? How did you know that this was the protocol? Was this subject "taught" or
included as part of your training? Please describe.

WHAT WAS YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROLE YOU WERE

SUPPOSED TO PLAY IN RESPONDING TO A HIJACKING SITUATION?

FAA STANDARD PROCEDURES TO FOLLOW? WRITTEN FAA

GUIDELINES?

EXPLAIN PROCEDURES FOR DECLARING A HIJACK?

EXPLAIN PROCEDURES FOR NOTIFYING SUPERVISORS? WHO DO

YOU NOTIFY? HOW? WHEN?

On 9/11, what were the manuals/documents you would have turned to for
guidance?
On 9/11, how would you have detected a hijacking situation?

Nordo Aircraft

Non-Transponding Aircraft

Course Deviation

EXPLAIN YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF FAA PROCESS FOR

NOTIFICATION OF A HIJACKING TO THE MILITARY?

WAS THERE AN FAA SOP OR PROTOCOL FOR REQUESTING MILITARY

ASSISTANCE?

WERE YOU AWARE OF ANY FAA MANUALS OR WRITTEN

GUIDELINES THAT GOVERNED HOW FAA WAS SUPPOSED TO NOTIFY
THE MILITARY OF A HIJACKED COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT?

HOW ABOUT THE PROTOCOL FOR REQUESTING MILITARY

ASSISTANCE/INTERVENTION? WAS THIS WRITTEN DOWN
SOMEWHERE?

WAS THE MILITARY SUPPOSED TO ESCORT THE HIJACKED

AIRCRAFT?

WHAT FAA EMPLOYEE POSITION(S) WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR

NOTIFYING THE MILITARY? REQUESTING MILITARY ASSISTANCE?

ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH NEADS AND THE ROLE IT WOULD PLAY IN
A MILITARY RESPONSE TO A REPORTED HIJACK?

DID YOU KNOW HOW TO CONTACT NEADS? DID YOU KNOW WHO
TO CONTACT AT NEADS?

WHAT ABOUT NORAD?

DID YOU KNOW HOW TO CONTACT NORAD? DID YOU KNOW WHO
TO CONTACT AT NORAD?

ON 9-11, WHAT DID YOU THINK WAS THE NEAREST MILITARY BASE
THAT COULD OFFER ZNY ASSISTANCE IN RESPONDING TO A
HIJACKING?

ON 9-11, HOW WOULD AN FAA CONTROLLER DIRECT OR VECTOR A

MILITARY AIRCRAFT TO ESCORT A HIJACKED AIRCRAFT THAT WAS
NORDO AND HAD ITS TRANSPONDER OFF?
 HOW DO YOU DETERMINE ALTITUDE?

PRE-9-11 HIJACK EXERCISES

(1) Prior to 9-11,what type of exercises - sponsored by either FAA, FEMA, DoD,
or some combination thereof- related to hijackings have you ever participated in?
If you have never participated in an exercise involving a hijack scenario, are you
aware of others who have? What about after 9-11 (i.e. today)?

(2) Prior to 9/11, had you heard of or were you aware that others within FAA
were aware of the potential for a suicide hijacking scenario?

VIII. The Events of 9-11

WHEN DID YOUR SHIFT START ON 9-11?

WHAT POSITION WERE YOU ASSIGNED TO ON 9-11?

WHAT WERE YOUR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AS AN FAA

(E.G., CONTROLLER, AREA SUPERVISOR,
OPERATIONS MANAGER, TMU SPECIALIST) ON THAT DAY?

FOR AT CONTROLLERS: What region of airspace were you responsible for

on 9-11? What altitude did you control?

From 8:00 a.m. to approximately 10:00 a.m., approximately how many

aircraft were you scheduled to control? Was this a normal workload?

Describe in your own words what happened in this Center on 9/11?

SITUATIUONAL AWARENESS WITH REGARD TO AAL 11:

WHEN DID YOU LEARN THAT AAL 11 WAS HEADED TOWARDS

NEW YORK CENTER'S AIRSPACE?
HOW DID YOU LEARN AAL 11 WAS COMING TOWARDS N.Y.?

WHO NOTIFIED YOU ABOUT AAL 11?

WHAT WERE YOU TOLD ABOUT AAL 11?

WERE YOU ADVISED IT WAS NORDO?

WERE YOU TOLD AAL 11 LOST ITS TRANSPONDER SIGNAL?

WERE YOU ADVISED ABOUT THE COCKPIT CONVERSATIONS
THAT WERE OVERHEARD?

WERE YOU TOLD AAL 11 WAS A HIJACK IN PROGRESS?

WHAT WAS YOUR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS REGARDING ANY

REQUESTS FOR MILITARY ASSISTANCE?

DID YOU KNOW THAT BOSTON CENTER HAD REQUESTED

MILITARY ASSISTANCE W/R/T AAL 11?

DID THERE COME A TIME WHEN YOU LOST THE PRIMARY RADAR
FOR AAL 11?

WHAT DID YOU THINK HAPPENED TO AAL 11?

WHEN YOU HEARD THAT WTC 1 WAS HIT BY AN AIRCRAFT, DID

YOU IMMEDIATELY THINK THE IMPACT WAS FROM AAL 11?

IF NOT, WHAT DID YOU THINK CAUSED THE IMPACT INTO WTC 1?

EXPLAIN THE NOTIFICATIONS MADE WHEN YOU LOST THE

PRIMARY RADAR FOR AAL 11 ?

WHO DID YOU NOTIFY? FAA ROC—ANE; FAA WOC; FAA

COMMAND CENTER AT HERNDON?

WHAT DID YOU TELL THEM HAPPENED WITH RESPECT TO AAL

11?

(SEE TIMELINE THAT SAYS "MAYBE NOT AAL 11 INTO WTC PER
MCCORMICK" AT 9:35 A.M.)

EXPLORE INTERVIEWEES KNOWLEDGE OF ANY REPORTS THAT

AAL 11 WAS STILL AIRBORNE AFTER WTC 1 WAS STRUCK.

SITUATIUQNAL AWARENESS WITH REGARD TO UAL 175:

DID YOU HANDLE ANY ASPECT OF THE CONTROL OF UAL 175

AFTER IT ENTERED NEW YOURK'S AIRSPACE FROM BOSTON'S
AIRSPACE?

(DAVE BOTTIGLIA AT RADAR POSITION 42 HAD LAST NORMAL

CONTACT WITH UAL 175 AT APPROXIMATELY 8:42 a.m. AT
APPROXIMATELY 8:52 a.m., BOTTIGLIA ASKS UAL 175 TO
RECYCLE ITS TRANSPONDER AND TO RESPOND BY RADIO AND
UAL 175 NEVER RESPONDS).

WHEN DID YOU NOTICE THAT UAL 175 WAS NORDO?

WHAT DID YOU DO IN RESONSE? DID YOU NOTIFY ANY

SUPERVISORS? IF SO, WHO DID YOU ADVISE?

WAS UAL 175 STILL ON ITS INTENDED COURSE WHEN IT WENT

NORDO?

WHEN DID YOU OBSERVE THAT UAL 175 WAS NOT

TRANSPONDING?

DID YOU KNOW THAT UAL 175 HAD CHANGED ITS TRANSPONDER
CODE? HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT IT WAS UAL 175 ON A NEW
MODE 3 TRANSPONDING CODE?

WAS UAL 175 STILL FOLLOWING ITS INTENDED FLIGHT PATH

WHEN IT SWITCHED ITS TRASPONDER CODE?

DID UAL 175 DEVIATE SIGNIFICANTLY FROM ITS COURSE PRIOR

TO IMPACT?

DID THERE COME A TIME WHEN YOU DETERMINED THAT UAL 175
HAD BEEN HIJACKED? WHEN?

DID SOMEONE AT ZNY OFFICIALLY DECLARE UAL 175 HIJACKED

PRIOR TO ITS IMPACT INTO WTC 2? WHEN?

WHAT FACTORS LED YOU TO DETERMINE THAT UAL 175 WAS

HIJACKED? (NORDO, CHANGE OF TRANSPONDER SIGNAL,
COURSE DEVIATION, FIRST REPORT THAT AIRCRAFT CRASHED
INTO WTC 1)

WHO WAS ADVISED THAT UAL 175 WAS HIJACKED?

WHEN WERE THEY ADVISED THAT UAL 175 WAS HIJACKED?

WAS THE NEW YORK ROC ADVISED? IF SO, WHO WAS TOLD?
WHEN WERE THEY TOLD?

WAS FAA HEADQUARTERS (I.E., THE WOC) ADVISED? IF SO, WHO

WAS TOLD? WHEN WERE THEY TOLD?
WAS FAA COMMAND CENTER AT HERNDON ADVISED THAT UAL
175 WAS HIJACKED? IF SO, WHO WAS TOLD? WHEN WERE THEY
TOLD?

WOULD YOU HAVE CONCLUDED THAT UAL 175 WAS HIJACKED

ABSENT YOUR AWARENESS THAT AAL 11 WAS HIJACKED?

WOULD YOU HAVE CONCLUDED THAT UAL 175 WAS HIJACKED

ABSENT YOUR AWARENESS THAT AN AIRCRAFT WAS REPORTED
TO HAVE STRUCK WTC 1?

WHAT ACTIONS DID YOU TAKE WHEN YOU DETERMINED THAT

UAL 175 HAD BEEN HIJACKED?

DESCRIBE NOTIFICATIONS TO SUPERVISOR(S).

IF YOU ARE AWARE, WHAT ACTIONS DID YOU SUPERVISORS

TAKE?

WHAT ACTIONS, IF ANY, DID YOU OR ANYONE ELSE AT ZNY

TAKE TO NOTIFY THE MILITARY THAT UAL 175 WAS HIJACKED?

DID ANYONE AT ZNY ASK FOR MILITARY ASSISTANCE (e.g., A

MILITARY ESCORT) WITH RESPECT TO UAL 175?

DO YOU KNOW WHAT NEADS IS AND WHAT ROLE IT WOULD

PLAY IN RESPONSE TO A REPORTED HIJACK?

WHAT ABOUT NORAD?

WHO AT THE FAA COORDINATED WITH NORAD/NEADS SO THE

MILITARY COULD RESPOND AND PINPOINT THE LOCATION OF
UAL 175 TO IDENTIFY AND ESCORT IT? WHAT ABOUT AAL 11?

How come NORAD/NEADS could not find AA 11 on its radar scopes?

Did someone FROM Boston Center, the FAA WOC or the ATCSCC (i.e. the
Command Center) advise you that the hijackers aboard AAL 11 said "WE
HAVE SOME PLANES"?

Had you ever participated in an exercise (i.e., test drill) concerning the control
of a commercial aircraft that was NORDO for more than five minutes?

Had you ever participated in an exercise (i.e., test drill) concerning the control
of a commercial aircraft that was NORDO and had lost its transponder signal?

10
What about an aircraft that had substantially deviated from its course in
addition to loss of radio contact and transponder signal?

Prior to 9-11, had you ever participated in an exercise (i.e., test drill) that
involved the military's intercept of a hijacked commercial aircraft? How
about the military intercept of a hijacked commercial aircraft that was
NORDO, lost its transponder signal and had substantially deviated from its
intended course?

Prior to 9-11, had you ever participated in an exercise that involved the
military's intercept of a commercial aircraft hijacked by terrorists who
planned to crash the planes into buildings in the U.S.?

Had you ever received or heard about any internal or external intelligence
reports, FAA information circulars or Security Notices that described such a
scenario?

What capabilities, if any, did you have to determine the altitude and speed of
AA 11 in the absence of a transponder signal?

When an aircraft changes its transponder code like UAL 175 did, what effect
does it have on your ability to track the aircraft (i.e., how, if at all, does it
change the data on your radar screen)?

Situational Awareness

Did there come a time prior to the media report of the first WTC crash that
you felt this was not the normal hijacking scenario (e.g., a hijacking for
ransom or political asylum)? What factors led you to believe that the situation
aboard AA 11 was much more ominous than the traditional hijacking
scenario?

In addition to tracking the path of AA 11 (and/or UAL 175) after it was

deemed a hijacked aircraft, were you responsible for handling other aircraft?
How many other aircraft were you responsible for? Why weren't you
permitted to focus solely on the hijacked aircraft?

Explore facts and circumstances that influenced controller's determination

concerning the identity of aircraft that struck WTC 1 and WTC 2.

Explore the rebirth of AA 11. What capabilities, if any, did you have to
determine whether AA 11 had crashed somewhere in NYC or if it was still
airborne? Explore direct and indirect knowledge of FAA or NORAD reports
that AA 11 was airborne after 8:46 a.m. and the basis for such reports.

11
FACTORS UNDERLYING DECISION TO GROUND DEPARTURES AND TO
DECLARE ZNY ATC ZERO

WHEN DID YOU DECIDE TO GROUND STOP ALL AIRCRAFT

SCHEDULED TO DEPART FROM WITHIN YOUR CENTER? Describe
the specific facts and circumstances that influenced the timing of your FAA
center's decision to ground all departures?

WHAT FACTORS LED YOU TO DECLARE A ZNY GROUND STOP?

Describe the specific facts and circumstances that influenced the timing of
your FAA center's decision to declare ATC zero?

Was there established protocol for these decisions on 9-11? If so, did your
facility practice for this scenario? If not, is there protocol today to govern
these decisions and are they practiced?

Discuss aspects of FAA HQ Order to Ground Stop all aircraft. Was there a
protocol or plan in place that explained how to implement a NATIONAL
ground stop order? If not, describe how the NATIONAL ground stop was
achieved without any incidents or accidents. Is there a written plan today? Is
it practiced today?

Discuss aspects of FAA Order to Ground all airborne aircraft. Was there a
plan in place to implement the order to ground all traffic? If not, describe how
the ORDER TO GROUND ALL AIRBORNE AIRCRAFT was achieved
without any incidents or accidents. Did someone devise an ad hoc plan on 9-
11 to ground all traffic? Is there a written plan today? Is it practiced today?

Explore witness' knowledge of SCAT ANA.

What is your understanding of the SCAT ANA procedure? Have you ever
participated in a SCAT ANA exercise? Prior to 9-11? Post 9-11?

Explore witness' involvement in any military exercises prior to 9-11? After

9-11? Describe nature of exercises and witness' role.

Explore whether witness participated in or had knowledge of any military

exercises that may have occurred on 9-11? If the answer is yes, explore
whether the military exercise added any confusion to the real world
hijackings.

Do you believe the FAA system in place on 9-11 to control aircraft and
respond to a potential hijacking contained the mechanisms (e.g., training,
equipment, technology, etc.,) necessary to effectively respond to the events of
9-11? If not, explain. What kinds of training, equipment, etc., do you believe
was not in place?

12
What lessons, if any, did you learn from the events of 9-11 as they impacted
yourjob?

In terms of crisis management and response, what do you think worked well
on 9/11? What failures do you see that occurred that day?

How would you describe FAA's preparedness today for another hijacking
incident? What are the outstanding weaknesses? (e.g., are you, as a
controller, adequately prepared and trained to deal with events today similar to
those that transpired on 9-11? If not, explain.

Do you believe that your role as an FAA controller today has changed from
what that role was on the morning of 9-11? If so, how has your role changed?
(Safety vs. Security) Are you adequately prepared and trained to deal with
your role today? If not, what are you lacking?

Do you believe the FAA is armed with all the available technology and
equipment to help you track an aircraft today if it was hijacked by terrorists?
What changes, if any, would you make within the FAA to better defend
against terrorists who plan to use aircraft as weapons of mass destruction?

If you were a member of the 9/11 Commission, looking at the aviation issues,
what recommendation(s) would you have to make the system safer?

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS— Are you aware of any after-action reports or

assessments that were done about the events of the day? ANY TIMELINES
CREATED BY YOU REFLECTING EVENTS OF 9-11? ANY PERSONAL
NOTES CREATED AFTER 9-11 REFLECTING THE DAY'S EVENTS?

Describe the relationship and the nature of interaction between the FAA and
the Military (e.g., NEADS) prior to 9-11? What is your view today of the
FAA's relationship with NORAD?

If you recall any information after today's interview that you did not discuss
with us today, you believe is important or think the Commission should know
about, please contact me and let me know.
Is there anything that you would like to discuss with me or inform the
Commission about that you have chosen not to discuss because of the
presence of the FAA minder?

13