[MilCom] Pilot Inadvertently Sends Hijack Signal

[GG]

By MARIA-BELEN MORAN, Associated Press Writer

SAN FRANCISCO - The pilot of a Mexicana airline flight from Mexico
City inadvertently sent a signal that someone was trying to hijack the
plane, and federal authorities and police swarmed the plane when it
landed in San Francisco.


The "air piracy" alert code was sent by accident and the 168
passengers aboard Mexicana Flight 976 were hustled away after the
plane landed at 6:52 p.m at San Francisco International Airport, said
Sgt. Larry Ratti.


"The pilot erroneously dialed in a distress code that it was an air
piracy. Naturally we take this very seriously here," Ratti said.


Ratti said the pilot might have tried to undo his mistake in
mid-flight, but those efforts either came up short or were met with
scrutiny after the flight arrived.


"One of our officers spoke to the pilot and confirmed that the
situation was a mistake," Ratti said.


Airport spokesman Mike McCarron gave a different account, saying the
pilot did not realize the code had been sent until after the plane had
landed. The emergency transponder code indicating a hijack attempt
would have been known only by the pilot and co-pilot, he said.


Spanish speaking officers placed a ladder near the plane, climbed up
and spoke with the pilot and co-pilot to confirm that there was no
threat aboard, McCarron said.


"This turned to be a drill for us," McCarron said.


Passengers were taken off the plane after it landed at 6:52 p.m., but
were held while authorities investigated.


It wasn't until 9:15 p.m. that the event was officially deemed a false
alarm by airport officials. Mexicana ticket counter workers said their
managers were not immediately available to discuss the incident.


Ratti said the mistake had nothing to do with any actions of the
passengers. Some of those aboard were annoyed at the mishap.


"They hold us for two hours because of a communications error," said
Flight 976 passenger Margarita Contreras, of San Francisco. She had
been vacationing with her husband.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=533&ncid=533&e=3&u=/ap
/20030429/ap_on_re_us/plane_trouble



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