A B777 crew over the north pacific, was instructed to land at the nearest suitable airport.

Attributes
ACN	524996
Time
Date	200109
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zan.artcc
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl single value : 34000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B777 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	524996
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : landed as precaution
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure FAA
Primary Problem	FAA

Narrative:

At XA03 Z 9/tue/01 we received the first ACARS message to divert to the nearest suitable airport due to an emergency situation. We called dispatch on the satcom phone and were told of the terrorist attack on ny. Position was over the north pacific ocean. Anc was about an hour closer than hnl. We called commercial radio to request a clearance several times, but never received a clearance. We turned for panc and descended from FL340 to FL335. We should have tried cpdlc, but did not think of it. Eventually contacted anc center and held at kodiak. We were then sent to fairbanks, yellow knife, calgary, abbotsford and vancouver where we did land. After over five hours on the ground we were able to taxi to a gate and unload the passenger. Block time was 15 + 41 with an official three person crew, but two dead heading pilots were also utilized and were very helpful. Fortunately, we had plenty of fuel.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B777 CREW OVER THE NORTH PACIFIC, WAS INSTRUCTED TO LAND AT THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT.

Narrative: AT XA03 Z 9/TUE/01 WE RECEIVED THE FIRST ACARS MESSAGE TO DIVERT TO THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT DUE TO AN EMER SIT. WE CALLED DISPATCH ON THE SATCOM PHONE AND WERE TOLD OF THE TERRORIST ATTACK ON NY. POSITION WAS OVER THE NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN. ANC WAS ABOUT AN HOUR CLOSER THAN HNL. WE CALLED COMMERCIAL RADIO TO REQUEST A CLRNC SEVERAL TIMES, BUT NEVER RECEIVED A CLRNC. WE TURNED FOR PANC AND DESCENDED FROM FL340 TO FL335. WE SHOULD HAVE TRIED CPDLC, BUT DID NOT THINK OF IT. EVENTUALLY CONTACTED ANC CENTER AND HELD AT KODIAK. WE WERE THEN SENT TO FAIRBANKS, YELLOW KNIFE, CALGARY, ABBOTSFORD AND VANCOUVER WHERE WE DID LAND. AFTER OVER FIVE HRS ON THE GND WE WERE ABLE TO TAXI TO A GATE AND UNLOAD THE PAX. BLOCK TIME WAS 15 + 41 WITH AN OFFICIAL THREE PERSON CREW, BUT TWO DEAD HEADING PLTS WERE ALSO UTILIZED AND WERE VERY HELPFUL. FORTUNATELY, WE HAD PLENTY OF FUEL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.