The July 26 emergency evacuation of American Airlines flight 3023 in Denver was yet another reminder that an emergency can happen at any time and passengers must be ready to act swiftly and appropriately. In this incident there was only one reported minor injury; however, there are many lessons to be learned from what occurred. The root causes of this dangerous brake fire incident must be identified and immediately resolved. There have been numerous reports of chronic problems with the brakes on 737 MAX airplanes. For example, cracks in brake clips. Boeing and the FAA know this is another serious defect that remains unresolved.

In the May edition of the Aviation Watchdog, we covered this topic with the story, “Emergency Evacuation- Are you Prepared?” If you haven’t read that article, we urge you to do so now. During a ground evacuation time is of the essence and each person on board must be prepared and able to act quickly to save lives.

During aircraft certification the FAA requires that all passengers must be able to evacuate the aircraft within 90 seconds. Evacuation testing is required to ensure that a full plane can be emptied that quickly. Unfortunately, the tests are conducted in an unrealistic manner. The passengers are volunteers who know ahead of time what to expect, there is no real danger from a fire or other hazard, they are usually younger adults in good physical condition, and they are all wearing practical clothing. This is in stark contrast to what really happens in an emergency when the danger is real and panic can set in very quickly. The American 3023 evacuation took nearly five minutes to complete. Had the fire spread more quickly or entered the cabin there likely would have been many serious injuries or even fatalities.

Federal regulations mandate numerous specifications for aircraft seats. These are generally designed to ensure seats are crashworthy, fire resistant, proper restraints are installed, and the seat placement itself won’t harm occupants. However, specific dimensions and pitch (leg room) are left primarily to the airlines. Over the last 40 years airline seats have been getting narrower. This not only makes for an uncomfortable flight but can make it much more difficult to exit an individual seat or a row of seats.

There are specific aisle widths required by the regulations; however, they are shockingly narrow. The table below shows aisle widths for various aircraft sizes. An aisle on a typical airliner can be as narrow as 15 inches at the floor level. For comparison, the OSHA standard for a building egress route width is 28 inches wide. Simply getting out of your seat and egressing through the airplane aisle is a difficult task. Add a fire and smoke along with elderly people, crying children, and people insisting on carrying their personal belongings and you have a recipe for disaster.  

The most important thing you can do as a passenger is to be prepared for the worst. When you take your seat look around and identify the closest exit. Remember, it may be behind you. Count the number of rows between you and the exit so you can find your way to it in case of poor visibility. Wear comfortable clothing that won’t hinder your movement. Listen to the flight attendant briefing and follow all attendant orders during an evacuation. This is critical safety information that might save your life. This is especially important if you are sitting in an exit row. Additionally, if you are flying on a Boeing 737 variant remember the over-wing exits do not have emergency slides, and you must use the flaps to slide to the ground from the wing.

Lastly, please DO NOT carry out your baggage, purses, backpacks, or other possessions. You are not only risking your own life, but the lives of others around you. Each second you take to grab a bag is a second lost during the evacuation. Focus on getting out of the aircraft quickly and safely. As we covered in the May edition, but worth repeating, here are some FAA recommendations:‍

• LEAVE YOUR POSSESSIONS BEHIND.
• Stay low.
• Proceed to the nearest front or rear exit - count the rows between your seat and the exits.
• Follow floor lighting to exit.
• Jump feet first onto evacuation slide. Don't sit down to slide. Place arms across your chest, elbows in, and legs and feet together. Remove high-heeled shoes.
• Exit the aircraft and clear the area.
• Remain alert for emergency vehicles.
• NEVER RETURN TO A BURNING AIRCRAFT.‍

For additional information on seat sizes and legroom on various airlines and aircraft take a look at Pilot Teacher and Travel Pander. Seat Guru also offers charts covering all seat configurations and amenities offered by airlines worldwide - this link takes you to their short haul economy chart. Please take your passenger responsibilities seriously; lives do depend upon it.

Collisions between airborne aircraft have been a serious threat since the inception of controlled flight. These collisions have become known as “midair” collisions. According to Merrium Webster, midair is defined as, “a point or region in the air not immediately adjacent to the ground.” Although not adjacent to the ground, midair collisions most commonly occur at low altitudes. They are more common near airports and often involve small aircraft, helicopters, military aircraft, and those flying under visual flight rules where the “see and avoid” doctrine applies. This was the case on May 12, 2021, when a Cirrus SR22 airplane, N416DJ, and a Swearingen SA226TC airplane, N280KL, were substantially damaged when they collided in flight while approaching to land at Centennial Airport (APA), Englewood, Colorado.

Fortunately, this midair didn’t result in any fatalities. The substantially damaged Swearingen landed safely, and the Cirrus pilot was able to deploy the emergency parachute.

There was a time when midair collisions were commonplace. The big sky little airplane philosophy worked most of the time but when it didn’t it usually meant significant loss of life. Unfortunately, definitive action is often taken only after a major disaster and on June 30, 1956, such an event occurred. A United Airlines DC-7 and a TWA Super Constellation collided at 21,000 feet over the Grand Canyon. The resulting crashes claimed 128 lives and spurred progress in midair collision avoidance.

Fast forward to the July 25, 2025 near midair collision between a Southwest Airlines 737 and a Hawker Hunter. This close call became front-page news as the Southwest crew took evasive action to avoid a collision. Although the maneuver was not violent it did upset passengers, and two flight attendants suffered minor injuries. A resolution alert from the TCAS required the pilots to make the quick descent. So, what is TCAS and what does it do?

The Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) is transponder-based and designed to alert pilots of potential collision threats. TCAS is mandated by ICAO to be installed on all commercial aircraft over 12,600 pounds or authorized to carry more than 19 passengers. The system is independent of air traffic control and requires the use of Mode S transponders. Transponders in properly equipped aircraft continually monitor the nearby airspace by interrogating all transponders within range. Altitude, heading, and speed parameters are used to determine if a collision is imminent. TCAS provides a visual representation of all surrounding aircraft as well as aural warnings if another aircraft becomes a threat for potential collision.

There are two warning levels issued by TCAS. The first is a Traffic Alert (TA). As the name infers, a TA is an alert to the pilot that traffic is nearby and is worthy of the pilot’s attention. Beyond monitoring the location of the other aircraft no action is required of the pilot.

The second warning level is called a Resolution Alert (RA). Unlike the TA, an RA requires pilot action. TCAS has determined that a collision is imminent and will give the pilot aural instructions for immediate action. Examples of this would be a “climb, climb, climb” alert or a “descend, descend, descend” alert. Corresponding alerts are given to both aircraft involved. One aircraft would be alerted to “climb” while the other would be alerted to “descend.” Additional RAs will emphasize the alert. Those include “descend, descend NOW” or “increase climb.”

It's important to note that an RA is a mandatory order; it is not simply a cautionary alert or a recommendation. The pilot is required to follow the TCAS alert until the midair threat is resolved.

Airports pose the most likely scenario for a midair collision. Where multiple aircraft are arriving and departing often simultaneously to/from multiple runways. Although TAs are still active, RAs are inhibited at low altitudes to eliminate false warnings in congested areas. This was illustrated by the tragic midair collision between a PSA CRJ and an Army Blackhawk helicopter at DCA on January 29, 2025. The CRJ received a TA about 19 seconds prior to impact. However, RAs were inhibited, and no action was taken by the CRJ crew as they were focused on landing the aircraft.  The Blackhawk crew reported the CRJ in site and were obligated to ensure separation. However, it’s likely that the crew mistook another aircraft for the CRJ and never saw the CRJ prior to impact.

The rate of midair collisions has decreased significantly over the years; however, there are still between 15-20 collisions per year in the U.S. with 75% of these resulting in fatalities. TCAS is a great addition to the cockpit, but it isn’t an infallible system that eliminates all midair threats. Pilots must remain vigilant with their scans moving from inside to outside continually. See and avoid is still a primary skill that must be mastered, especially since not all aircraft have TCAS.