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GLF4 flight crew directed by company to divert and land due to perceived hijack notification that could not be confirmed while airborne.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 528560 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200110 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zzzz.artcc |
| State Reference | FO |
| Altitude | msl single value : 39000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zzzz.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Gulfstream IV |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : corporate |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 528560 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : corporate |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : 7 |
| Resolutory Action | aircraft : evacuated flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed as precaution other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
While flying en route to iad, was contacted by my operations via afis (ACARS). Informed that FAA suspected we were in a 'trip flight' situation and was everything normal. We replied 'everything normal -- what's a trip flight?' we were contacted again and asked to call our chief pilot on the phone. After a short time, trying unsuccessfully to contact him, we received a third message, instructing us to 'land immediately.' we informed ATC (ZZZZ center) that we needed to land immediately and asked for suggestions. We were cleared direct to ZZZZ airport. As we were about 50 NM from ZZZZ, we were given holding instructions. After holding 15 mins, we were instructed to land at ZZZZ airport. We landed in VMC and were instructed by ZZZZ radio to taxi clear of runway and shut down engines. 2 hours later, a police swat team deplaned, handcuffed and frisked passenger (X and crew Y), stormed the plane, and interrogated everyone. They were alerted by norad that our aircraft was suspected of being hijacked. ZZZ center alerted norad, said the word 'trip' was transmitted to ZZZ center from our aircraft and we were squawking 7500. Crew was unaware that we were a suspect flight. All xponders (2) were set to ATC assigned codes. ATC never asked us if everything was normal, nor gave any indication that we were under suspicion. Frequency was monitored at all times, but no xmissions were received.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: GLF4 FLC DIRECTED BY COMPANY TO DIVERT AND LAND DUE TO PERCEIVED HIJACK NOTIFICATION THAT COULD NOT BE CONFIRMED WHILE AIRBORNE.
Narrative: WHILE FLYING ENRTE TO IAD, WAS CONTACTED BY MY OPS VIA AFIS (ACARS). INFORMED THAT FAA SUSPECTED WE WERE IN A 'TRIP FLT' SIT AND WAS EVERYTHING NORMAL. WE REPLIED 'EVERYTHING NORMAL -- WHAT'S A TRIP FLT?' WE WERE CONTACTED AGAIN AND ASKED TO CALL OUR CHIEF PLT ON THE PHONE. AFTER A SHORT TIME, TRYING UNSUCCESSFULLY TO CONTACT HIM, WE RECEIVED A THIRD MESSAGE, INSTRUCTING US TO 'LAND IMMEDIATELY.' WE INFORMED ATC (ZZZZ CTR) THAT WE NEEDED TO LAND IMMEDIATELY AND ASKED FOR SUGGESTIONS. WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO ZZZZ ARPT. AS WE WERE ABOUT 50 NM FROM ZZZZ, WE WERE GIVEN HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS. AFTER HOLDING 15 MINS, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO LAND AT ZZZZ ARPT. WE LANDED IN VMC AND WERE INSTRUCTED BY ZZZZ RADIO TO TAXI CLR OF RWY AND SHUT DOWN ENGS. 2 HRS LATER, A POLICE SWAT TEAM DEPLANED, HANDCUFFED AND FRISKED PAX (X AND CREW Y), STORMED THE PLANE, AND INTERROGATED EVERYONE. THEY WERE ALERTED BY NORAD THAT OUR ACFT WAS SUSPECTED OF BEING HIJACKED. ZZZ CTR ALERTED NORAD, SAID THE WORD 'TRIP' WAS XMITTED TO ZZZ CTR FROM OUR ACFT AND WE WERE SQUAWKING 7500. CREW WAS UNAWARE THAT WE WERE A SUSPECT FLT. ALL XPONDERS (2) WERE SET TO ATC ASSIGNED CODES. ATC NEVER ASKED US IF EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL, NOR GAVE ANY INDICATION THAT WE WERE UNDER SUSPICION. FREQ WAS MONITORED AT ALL TIMES, BUT NO XMISSIONS WERE RECEIVED.
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.