ATC Declares Emergency for 747

[okgood]

CHICAGO, Illinois -- On Thursday, 2 January 2020, an Atlas Air Boeing 747-400 Flight 5Y-551 (Giant 551 Heavy) from New York's JFK airport to Chicago O'Hare was in the initial descent through FL320 towards Chicago when the crew reported they just had to shut down their number 2 engine. They did not declare an emergency. ATC told the crew they declared an emergency for them instead. The aircraft landed safely on Chicago's runway 28C about 40 minutes after reporting the engine failure.

Is it normal for ATC to declare the emergency in lieu of the pilot?

 

 

[turboplanner]

This happened in the US so you'd have to check US regulations.

 

 

[Downunder]

In the US atc seem to be able to call the emergency but in many countries it must be the pilot to call it. Perhaps a legal issue. I've heard atc try to coach or ask a pilot "Do you want to declare an emergency? ". I don't like the US system as it is not a clear responsibility. 

 

 

[kgwilson]

ATC can tell you to squawk 7700. Whether you do or not is your decision so the buck stops with you.

 

 

[facthunter]

 IF an emergency is declared there are extra procedures available to ATC  like  establishment of priorities, that might otherwise be controversial, in other circumstances.. Nev

 

 

[old man emu]

Since O'Hare is an extremely busy airport with aircraft landing and taking off like a beer bottling plant, it's easy to see that by declaring an emergency ATC had a wider scope to interrupt the bottling plant. Although the 747 can easily fly on three engines, and actually was in descent at the time who would know if the other three engines would not stop, too? A stitch in time saves nine.