Chapter 9
DISTRESS AND URGENCY PROCEDURES
AND COMMUNICATIONS FAILURE PROCEDURES
9.1 INTRODUCTION
9.1.1 Distress and urgency communication procedures are detailed in Annex 10, Volume II.
9.1.2 Distress and urgency conditions are defined as:
a) Distress: a condition of being threatened by serious and/or imminent danger and of
requiring immediate assistance.
b) Urgency: a condition concerning the safety of an aircraft or other vehicle, or of some
person on board or within sight, but which does not require immediate assistance.
9.1.3 The word "MAYDAY" spoken at the start identifies a distress message, and the words
"PAN PAN" spoken at the start identifies an urgency message. The words "MAYDAY" or
"PAN PAN", as appropriate, should preferably be spoken three times at the start of the initial
distress or urgency call.
9.1.4 Distress messages have priority over all other transmissions, and urgency messages
have priority over all transmissions except distress messages.
9.1.5 Pilots making distress or urgency calls should attempt to speak slowly and distinctly
so as to avoid any unnecessary repetition.
9.1.6 Pilots should adapt the phraseology procedures in this chapter to their specific needs
and to the time available.
9.1.7 Pilots should seek assistance whenever there is any doubt as to the safety of a flight.
In this way, the risk of a more serious situation developing can often be avoided.
9.1.8 A distress or urgency call should normally be made on the frequency in use at
the time. Distress communications should be continued on this frequency until it is
considered that better assistance can be provided by changing to another frequency. The
frequency 121.5 MHz has been designated the international aeronautical emergency
frequency although not all aeronautical stations maintain a continuous watch on that
frequency. These provisions are not intended to prevent the use of any other communications
frequency if considered necessary or desirable, including the maritime mobile service RTF
calling frequencies.
9.1.9 If the ground station called by the aircraft in distress or urgency does not reply, then
any other ground station or aircraft shall reply and give whatever assistance possible.
9.1.10 A station replying (or originating a reply) to an aircraft in distress or urgency should
provide such advice, information and instructions as is necessary to assist the pilot.
Superfluous transmissions may be distracting at a time when the pilot's hands are already full.
9.1.11 Aeronautical stations shall refrain from further use of a frequency on which distress or
urgency traffic is heard, unless directly involved in rendering assistance or until after the
emergency traffic has been terminated.
9.1.12 When a distress message has been intercepted which apparently receives no
acknowledgement, the aircraft intercepting the distress message should, if time and
circumstances seem appropriate, acknowledge the message and then broadcast it.
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9.2 DISTRESS MESSAGES
9.2.1 Aircraft in distress
9.2.1.1 A distress message should contain as many as possible of the following elements, and,
if possible, in the order shown:
a) name of the station addressed;
b) identification of the aircraft;
c) nature of the distress condition;
d) intention of the person in command;
e) position, level and heading of the aircraft; and
f) any other useful information.
MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY
DHAKA TOWER G-ABCD
ENGINE ON FIRE MAKING
FORCED LANDING
10 MILES NORTH OF TONGI.
PASSING 3 000 FEET HEADING 180
G-ABCD DHAKA TOWER ROGER
MAYDAY WIND AT DHAKA 350
DEGREES 10 KNOTS, QNH 1008
MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY DHAKA TOWER
G-ABCD ENGINE FAILED. WILL ATTEMPT TO
LAND YOUR FIELD, 5 MILES SOUTH, 4 000 FEET
HEADING 160
G-ABCD DHAKA TOWER ROGER MAYDAY
CLEARED STRAIGHT-IN APPROACH RUNWAY
14 WIND 360 DEGREES 10 KNOTS QNH 1008,
YOU ARE NUMBER ONE CLEARED STRAIGHT-IN APPROACH RUNWAY
14 QNH 1008 G-ABCD
9.2.1.2 These provisions are not intended to prevent the aircraft from using any means at its
disposal to attract attention and make known its condition (including the activation of the
appropriate SSR code, 7700), nor any station from using any means at its disposal to assist an
aircraft in distress. Variation on the elements listed under 9.2.1.1 is permissible when the
transmitting station is not itself in distress, provided that such a circumstance is clearly stated.
9.2.1.3 The station addressed will normally be the station communicating with the aircraft or
the station in whose area of responsibility the aircraft is operating.
9.2.2 Imposition of silence
An aircraft in distress or a station in control of distress traffic may impose silence, either on
all aircraft on the frequency or on a particular aircraft which interferes with the distress
traffic. Aircraft so requested will maintain radio silence until advised that the distress traffic
has ended.
ALL STATIONS DHAKA
TOWER STOP TRANSMITTING.
MAYDAY
or
FASTAIR 345 STOP TRANSMITTING, MAYDAY
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9.2.3 Termination of distress and silence
9.2.3.1 When an aircraft is no longer in distress, it shall transmit a message cancelling the
distress condition.
9.2.3.2 When the ground station controlling the distress traffic is aware that the aircraft is no
longer in distress it shall terminate the distress communication and silence condition.
DHAKA TOWER G-CD
CANCEL DISTRESS.
ENGINE SERVICEABLE,
RUNWAY IN SIGHT.
REQUEST LANDING
G-CD WIND 350 DEGREES 8 KNOTS,
RUNWAY 14 CLEARED TO LAND
RUNWAY14 CLEARED TO LAND G-CD
ALL STATIONS DHAKA TOWER DISTRESS
TRAFFIC ENDED
9.3 URGENCY MESSAGES
9.3.1 An urgency message should contain as many of the elements detailed in 9.2.1.1 as are
required by the circumstances. The call should be made on the frequency in use at the time,
and the station addressed will normally be that station communicating with the aircraft, or the
station in whose area of responsibility the aircraft is operating. All other stations should take
care not to interfere with the transmission of urgency traffic.
PAN PAN, PAN PAN, PAN PAN
DHAKA TOWER G-ABCD C152
2000 FEET HEADING 190
ABOVE CLOUD UNSURE OF MY
POSITION REQUEST HEADING TO
G-ABCD DHAKA TOWER FLY DHAKA
HEADING 160
HEADING 160 G-ABCD
PAN PAN, PAN PAN, PAN PAN DHAKA TOWER
G-ABCD 10 MILES NORTH AT 2 000 FEET.
PASSENGER WITH SUSPECTED HEART
G-CD DHAKA TOWER NUMBER 1 CLEARED ATTACK REQUEST PRIORITY LANDING
STRAIGHT-IN APPROACH RUNWAY 14 WIND
180 DEGREES 10 KNOTS QNH 1008 AMBULANCE
ALERTED CLEARED STRAIGHT-IN APPROACH RUNWAY
14 ONH 1008 G-CD
PAN PAN, PAN PAN, PAN PAN
DHAKA TOWER G-BBCC
INTERCEPTED URGENCY
CALL FROM G-ABCD
PASSENGER WITH SUSPECTED
HEART ATTACK REQUESTING
PRIORITY LANDING DHAKA.
HIS POSITION 10 MILES NORTH
AT 2 000 FEET
G-BBCC ROGER
G-ABCD DHAKA TOWER RUNWAY 14 WIND 340
(if G-ABCD does not acknowledge this message
DEGREES 10 KNOTS QNH 1008 NO TRAFFIC
G-BBCC will relay)
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9.3.2 In the first example above, further questions might be asked of the pilot in order to
assist in ascertaining the position of the aircraft.
9.4 EMERGENCY DESCENT
9.4.1 When an aircraft announces that it is making an emergency descent, the controller
will take all possible action to safeguard other aircraft.
9.4.2 The general broadcast to warn aircraft of an emergency descent should be followed,
as necessary, by specific instructions.
FASTAIR 345 POSITION CHITTAGONG VOR
EMERGENCY
DESCENT TO FL 100
DUE TO DECOMPRESSION
ATTENTION ALL AIRCRAFT IN THE VICINITY
OF CHITTAGONG VOR, EMERGENCY
DESCENT IN PROGRESS FROM FL 350 TO FL
100, LEAVE G463 TO THE SOUTH
IMMEDIATELY
9.5 AIRCRAFT COMMUNICATIONS FAILURE
Note.- General rules that are applicable in the event of communications failure are contained
in Annex 10, Volume ɪ ɪ .
9.5.1 When an aircraft station fails to establish contact with the aeronautical station on the
designated frequency, a) it shall attempt to establish contact on another frequency appropriate
to the route. b) If this attempt fails, the aircraft shall attempt to establish communication with
other aircraft or other aeronautical stations on frequencies appropriate to the route.
9.5.2 If the attempts specified under 9.5.1 fail, the aircraft shall transmit its message twice
on the designated frequency (ies), preceded by the phrase "TRANSMITTING BLIND" and,
if necessary, include the addressee(s) for which the message is intended.
9.5.3 When an aircraft is unable to establish communication due to receiver failure, it shall
transmit reports at the scheduled times, or positions, on the frequency in use, preceded by the
phrase "TRANSMITTING BLIND DUE TO RECEIVER FAILURE". The aircraft shall
transmit the intended message, following this by a complete repetition. During this
procedure, the aircraft shall also advise the time of its next intended transmission.
9.5.4 An aircraft which is provided with air traffic control or advisory service shall, in
addition to complying with 9.5.3, transmit information regarding the intention of the pilot-in-
command with respect to the continuation of the flight of the aircraft.
9.5.5 When an aircraft is unable to establish communication due to airborne equipment
failure, it shall, if so equipped, select the appropriate SSR code to indicate radio failure
(7600).
9.5.6 When an aeronautical station has been unable to establish contact with an aircraft
after calls on the frequencies on which the aircraft is believed to be listening, it shall:
1) Request other aeronautical stations to render assistance by calling the aircraft and
relaying traffic, if necessary; and/or
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2) Request aircraft on the route to attempt to establish communication with the aircraft
and relay messages, if necessary.
9.5.7 If the attempts specified in 9.5.6 fail, the aeronautical station should transmit
messages addressed to the aircraft, other than messages containing air traffic control
clearances, by blind transmission on the frequency (ies) on which the aircraft is believed to be
listening.
9.5.8 Blind transmission of air traffic control clearances shall not be made to aircraft,
except at the specific request of the originator.
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