TIMELINE-Turmoil with U.S. Air Traffic Controllers

Here is a timeline of incidents involving air traffic controllers in the weeks since the Federal Aviation Administration has been under scrutiny.

April 18, 2011 - First Lady's Plane Aborts Landing

A plane carrying First Lady Michelle Obama aborts a landing at Joint Andrews Base near Washington D.C., circles around and lands safely. The plane does not have the required amount of separation behind a military C-17 transport aircraft. The aircraft were never in any danger. NTSB investigates.

April 17 - Controller Caught Watching Movie

An air traffic controller at the Cleveland Air Route Traffic Control Center watches a movie on a portable electronic device while working a radar position. A pilot hears the movie soundtrack for 3 minutes over the radio frequency for that area, reports incident. The Federal Aviation Administration suspends the controller and a manager, pending an investigation.

April 16 - Controller Falls Asleep in Miami

An air traffic controller falls asleep while on duty during the midnight shift at the Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center. The controller did not miss any calls from aircraft and there was no operational impact, a review of tapes shows. The incident was reported to a manager by another controller. The FAA suspends the controller.

April 13 - Controller Falls Asleep in Nevada

A controller falls asleep at Reno-Tahoe International Airport while a medical flight carrying an ill patient was trying to land. The plane eventually lands safely. The controller has no communication for 16 minutes. The controller is suspended, pending an investigation.

April 11 - Controller Falls Asleep in Seattle

Air traffic controller falls asleep at Boeing Field/King County International Airport (BFI) in Seattle, WA during his morning shift. The controller was monitoring local traffic in the airport tower cab while two other controllers worked arriving and departing aircraft. The Controller already faces disciplinary action for falling asleep on two separate occasions during the early evening shift on January 6, 2011.

March 29 - Controllers Fail to Hand Off Control of Plane
Two controllers fail to hand off control of a departing aircraft to another control center. The controllers were at Preston Smith International Airport (LBB) in Lubbock, TX and were supposed to hand off the plane to the Fort Worth Air Route Traffic Control Center. It took repeated calls from Fort Worth to reach the controllers at Preston.

March 27 - Controller 'Compromises Safety' of Passenger Jet
An air traffic controller orders a passenger jet to check on another plane who has lost contact. The Southwest jet and other jet experience a loss of separation. FAA Chief Randy Babbitt says the air traffic controller compromised the safety of everyone involved. This incident was totally inappropriate. The controller is suspended.

March 24 - Controller Falls Asleep in DC

A lone air traffic controller at Reagan Washington National Airport falls asleep on the job and is suspended. Babbit orders ordered a nationwide review of the air traffic control system to confirm the appropriate backup procedures and equipment are in place and in use. The controller is suspended.