Representative Vailoata Amituana’i is disappointed that the American Samoa Government has not been able to fulfill the critical need for an air traffic control tower for Pago Pago International Airport.
At the budget hearing for Port Administration yesterday, Rep. Vailoata told Director Taimalelagi Dr. Claire Poumele that this issue has been brought up many times before not only during budget but other hearings in the Fono.
He said it was inappropriate that American Samoa s international airport is located on Tutuila island and the air traffic control tower is situated in Apia.
Amituanai pointed out that the control tower exists to ensure the security and safety of air traveler as well as the overall security of the territory,
He shared an incident where a helicopter and a plane were trying to land at Tafuna at the same time and there was a near collision;
The latest aviation fatality in the territory was two years ago when a single engine Hawker Beechcraft belonging to 17 year old Haris Suleman and his father, crashed into the ocean about a mile from the end of the airport runway while taking off.
A family spokesperson reported that it was obviously very dark and the airport was uncontrolled and it was very unlikely they had reached an altitude that enabled them to contact the ATC (Air Traffic Control) on Samoa.
The area was reported as being in the New Zealand SAR (Search and Rescue) region and it was NZ SAR that received a distress signal from the aircraft.
The air traffic control tower at Tafuna was closed down more than ten years ago and there are varying accounts as to why.
