Medium Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 0.4
Communication Breakdown; Workload; Situational Awareness; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors; Airport; Aircraft; Procedure; Weather; Staffing
I was working Local Control combined with Helicopter Control. Not all of the snow had been removed from the movement area. Multiple runway exits were closed due to snow including the main exit point for traffic in a south operation. I had numerous helicopters in my airspace as well as a steady rate of arrivals and departures. Aircraft A was operating VFR in Helicopter Zone 1; about 3 miles north of DCA. Aircraft A requested to exit Zone 1 and take Helicopter Route 1 southeast bound to Route 2 to ADW; which I approved. Aircraft X checked onto my frequency and was cleared to land. Aircraft Y checked onto my frequency; was issued appropriate traffic; told to expect Runway 22 for the turn off of the runway; and cleared to land. As Aircraft X touched down on Runway 19; I put Aircraft Z in position and issued the appropriate traffic. During Aircraft X's rollout; Aircraft B called about 1.5 miles east of DCA; requesting VFR Helicopter Route 1 northwest bound to the Pentagon Transition; which I approved. During rollout; I instructed Aircraft X to turn right on Runway 22 then turn right onto Taxiway Juliet and contact Ground Control. In my scan before Aircraft Z's takeoff clearance I saw Aircraft X beginning to make a right turn onto Taxiway Foxtrot. Foxtrot was obstructed by snow; Aircraft X stopped on Runway 19. I instructed Aircraft X to expedite down Runway 19 with a right turn on Runway 22. Aircraft X did not reply. At this time I knew Aircraft Z would not be able to depart safely with Aircraft Y approaching 2 mile final. I instructed Aircraft Z to make a right turn off the runway for the arriving traffic. As Aircraft Z complied; I went back to Aircraft X and reissued instructions to exit Runway 19 at Runway 22. Aircraft X did not reply. At this point I sent Aircraft Y around on about a mile final. As all this was happening Aircraft B and Aircraft A passed by each other; VFR; on Helicopter Route 1. I had not issued the traffic call for Aircraft B and Aircraft A because of the situation happening at the airport with Aircraft X and Aircraft Y. Two days later; I was informed Aircraft A reported to ADW Tower that they had to take evasive action because of Aircraft B. The airport authority should put a focus on clearing the major runway exits after a snowstorm. I had a high number of helicopters and a steady rate of IFR inbounds and outbounds. During our larger banks of IFR traffic; the Front Line Manager should split the Local Control positions to provide a better service to the pilots.
DCA Tower Controller reported a landing aircraft attempted to exit the runway at the wrong intersection. The delay caused an arrival to be issued go-around instructions. The Local Controller failed to issue traffic to two VFR helicopters; one of which took evasive action.