T8 B2 FAA NY Center Anthony Palmieri Fdr- Sep 03 Draft MFR- Hijacks Go to Cuba 727

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[Classification]

MEMORANDUM FOR

THE

RECORD

Event:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) New York Air Route CenterType of event: InterviewDate: Tuesday, September

,

2003

Special

Access Issues: NonePrepared

by:

Geoffrey

BrownTeam Number:

8

Location:FAA NewYorkAirRoute Center, Rokonkomo,NewYorkParticipants-Non-Commission:

Alfred

, FAAGeneral ConsulParticipants - Commission: John Azzarello, Miles Kara,

Geoffrey

BrownNOTE: Unless otherwise noted, the following paraphrases the response and opinion of

the

interviewee. Please

refer

to the

interview transcript

for a

complete account.

TONY PALMIERA

1043EDTWith FAA since 1982 all here at ZNY. Detail as

staff

specialist, temporary supervisor,

tm

coordinator two years, then ATC area b. Worked ra42, orh42on

9/11.

R42 was DaveBittiglia.

United

was somewhere between Allentown and Stillwater when he sat at ra42.

Saw

McCormickwastheresoknew therewassomething goingon. Ivonnasaidto sitdown with Dave. Asked Dave a few times what was happening, then looked at data strips

to

figure

things

out.

Noticed

UAL

175 was on the

wrong

code

in a

coast

track. Bittiglia

said he thought he had a hijack, but

wasn't

sure who. From the data it seemed assumedthat it was UAL175. Remembers that someone said boston had a

hijack

and it might havebeen in Kennedy sector. Knew there was something going on, but not much situationalawareness. At the moment he sat down was not aware of first WTC impact.

UAL

175 hadturned already,and wasnortheastof thePhiladelphia area. Knew therewas a

hijack

withanother

aircraft,

andassumed

UAL

175 was amechanical emergency sincehe

didn't

thinktherecould be two hijackings. Did not equate

AA11

to being the plane that hit WTC.Thought maybe there had been a struggle aboard the plane in the WTC. No doubt in mind

that

plane being squawking 3321 was UAL175.

The

usual indicators of the hijack are the 7500 code or the code word.

With UAL175

trackwas in acoast mode.InPamiera's mindit was anemergency.In an

emergency

trained

not to

bother crew, wait

for

indication

of

what

is

happening

from

pilot.

Explains

track

of UAL

175.

As

headed towards Kennedy thought maybe there was a problem.Coast data block will move

off

target. Data block

floated an

inch

of two

away

from

target. The pound symbol takes the place of the leader lines. One with the 3321transponder

code, another

with

the

coast

data

block,

but associated as one

airplane. Fromreviewing strips knewit had to be thesame airplane since therewas no oneelseinthatairspace.

Yardly

Sector goes

from

14k to 20k. Data blocks on 55 flashed intruder alert (a limiteddata block that shows target,

four

digit code

and an "I" -

computer telling

you

there's

an

airplane there that shouldn't be there). Contacts 56 and 56 watching. Calls Tracon libertysouth

to

inform them. They

said

they knew about

3321.

They took care

of

coordination

within their

facility.

Did not call the towers. Spoke to Kingston high of ZBW to hold

them

(keep them

off of

frequency).

Then told them they shut down.

UAL 175

climbed back

up a few

hundred

feet.

So

pilot either knew

of

collision avoidance

system,

or saw delta since they almost crashed.

Didn't

want

to

believe

it was a

hijacking,

was

looking

for the one

thing

that

would

pinpoint

it was an emergency instead. The key realization was when he heard anotherplane had hit the towers. At that point no radio, and off code assigned by ATC, and offcourse.

"Spin"

means not going to take any

traffic.

Doesn't want any more air

crafts

on

frequency.

Communicated to Kingston to keep

aircraft.

Wanted to concentrate on 175.Conversation with Kingston

at

125630z.Regard to hear LaCates, does know ZBW reported a

hijack

headed towards Kennedy, butknew nothing of call sign.

1258z.

Kingston's reaction was disbelief. They didn't start a dialogue, but when theycalled back tells them of possibility of

hijack.

Usually when airplanes are stopped anestimate

of

time

and

reason

are

given.

Liberty

west,

15

lineis NYTraconon thecommon phone line

(15

isline usedto getthrough immediately). NY Tracon had been watching 3321.Post second event (didn't know WTC impact, just knew hit something in downtownManhattan).Thought about bringing airplanes back

on

line.

But

after

speaking with Dave realized

the

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