Pilot Inadvertently Sends Hijack Signal

AP 29apr03

Possible Hijack Attempt Turns Out to Be False Distress Signal From Pilot

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.

False Hijacking Emergency at SFO

AP 28apr03

SAN FRANCISCO—A member of the crew piloting a Mexicana airline flight from Mexico City inadvertently sent a distress signal indicating a hijack attempt, causing the plane to be met with a swarm of police and federal authorities upon arrival Monday 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 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.

Despite the misunderstanding, the passengers were quickly bussed away.

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.

However, airport spokesman Mike McCarron said 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 added.

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.

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. Still, some of those aboard were miffed 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.

Pilot error puts S.F. airport on hijack alert

SF Chronicle 29apr03

When the pilot of Mexicana Airlines Flight 976 -- bound from Mexico City to San Francisco -- began having radio difficulties Monday night, he entered a four-digit code to alert SFO authorities of the communication breakdown.

But he unwittingly hit one wrong number.

Instead, the alert received by authorities at San Francisco International Airport was that Flight 976 was being hijacked.

And so began the three-hour ordeal for the 168 passengers of Flight 976, said San Francisco police and officials at SFO.

SFO flight controllers received the hijack signal just after 6 p.m. and immediately radioed the pilot -- but couldn't get through, said airport spokesman Mike McCarron.

When the plane landed at 6:45 p.m., SFO was braced for trouble. Authorities escorted the plane to a secure location and surrounded it with police who -- not knowing the plane's radio was down -- tried to make contact by radio, McCarron said. Meanwhile, buses were brought to the plane for any passengers who could be removed.

More than two hours passed without contact, and when contact was finally established through an open plane door, there was a language barrier, McCarron said.

It wasn't until San Francisco police brought a Spanish-speaking officer to the scene that authorities realized what had happened and that everything was OK, McCarron said.

At 9:19 p.m., the 168 passengers were set free -- at least from the plane --

and allowed to continue their journey to U.S. Customs.

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