FAA Error nearly led to jets colliding

[*JG* 2]

If you saw this video, you would see how scary it really is!

AURORA, Ill. - Two commercial airliners nearly collided over Indiana because of an air traffic controller's error, but a cockpit safety device in one jet helped avert a disaster, aviation officials said Thursday.

A Midwest Airlines jet narrowly missed hitting a United Express jet when an air traffic controller directed the Midwest Airlines jet into the other's path, Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory said.

The United Express flight was carrying 31 people on board and flew out of Greensboro, N.C. The Midwest Airlines jet flew out of Milwaukee carrying 24 people.

A collision was averted when a cockpit safety device in one of the planes alerted pilots, who began an emergency climb to get out of the way, officials said. The planes were flying at about 25,000 feet, near Fort Wayne, Ind.

The incident occurred Tuesday night during a shift change at a busy time at the Chicago Center radar facility in Aurora, Cory said.

The planes came as close as 1.3 miles apart horizontally and 600 feet apart vertically, according to the FAA. The incident remains under investigation, it said.

[almaty 19]

hmmm ..the FAA needs an overhaul...

[Fandango 1,439]

Stuff like this scares the living ####### outta me!!!!

[almaty 19]

same here,..and i will not tell you my professional experience with FAA controllers or you will be scared even worse.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

We should disband the FAA, let aircraft fly whenever/wherever they want. Allow the free market to reign in the skies, an optimal solution will be found in time. The free market mechanism always works.

[almaty 19]

i agree..and i think also, to equip the large commericial carriers with air to air missles..in case a small Piper gets in their way

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

i agree..and i think also, to equip the large commericial carriers with air to air missles..in case a small Piper gets in their way

Once the collisions begin to occur, aircraft will adapt in the manner most optimal. An efficient solution will be reached, without government intervention.

[Mags 112]

same here,..and i will not tell you my professional experience with FAA controllers or you will be scared even worse.

Pushing Tin, anyone?

[almaty 19]

same here,..and i will not tell you my professional experience with FAA controllers or you will be scared even worse.

Pushing Tin, anyone?

yeah, a great movie about the industry

[Emancipation 2]

Yeah.. we are flying to MO next week.. LOVE IT!!

Can't wait for the traffic jams, lost luggage and the flight delays.. i hope that's all the excitement we get up to!!

[payxibka 10,044]

same here,..and i will not tell you my professional experience with FAA controllers or you will be scared even worse.

Agreed, this and other incidents happens more frequently than anyone would ever want to admit...

Edited November 16, 2007 by fwaguy

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Yeah.. we are flying to MO next week.. LOVE IT!!

Can't wait for the traffic jams, lost luggage and the flight delays.. i hope that's all the excitement we get up to!!

Have you heard about the Thanksgiving express lane?

[Marc and Olga 0]

In the early '90s, I flew back to Kansas for a visit to my mother who still lives there, on the return flight, the plane I was on had to do an emergency pull up because the air national guard here in Tucson decided they needed to do a touch and go in the path of our airplane! It was kinda spooky since I was fairly fresh outta high school where I took "aviation" (which was considered ground school), so I knew what had happened!

[garya505 2]

You're probably more likely to get killed driving to work than to die in a plane crash.

[derekkj 0]

What I wondered about was what would have happened if both planes had the cockpit safety systems? Would the systems be able to talk to one another and one pilot would be told to pull up and the other to either stay in position or dive? Wouldn't do much good if both systems were telling the pilots to pull up!

But, perhaps, I think way to much about this kinda stuff. Did I mention I don't like to fly?