U.S. regulators are investigating two near-midair collisions involving three US Airways Group Inc. (LCC) (LCC) regional jets near Washington’s Reagan National Airport on July 31.
An air-traffic controller cleared two planes to take off in sequence from the airport as another lined up to land along the same path in the opposite direction, according to an e-mailed statement issued today by the Federal Aviation Administration.
The approaching plane and the first departing one got to within 1.4 miles of each other before the controller realized the mistake and turned one of the aircraft away, according to preliminary estimates released by the agency. The FAA statement didn’t make clear whether the planes would have collided if the controller had done nothing. The arriving aircraft was 400 feet higher than the departing plane, according to the agency.
“The FAA is investigating the incident and will take appropriate action to address the miscommunication,” the agency said in its statement.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board has begun gathering radar data and recordings of radio transmissions from the incident, Kelly Nantel, the agency’s spokeswoman, said in an e-mail. The safety board, which investigates accidents and incidents, hasn’t yet determined whether to open a formal case on the matter, Nantel said.
“We are currently investigating and working with the FAA to determine what occurred,” said Todd Lehmacher, a US Airways spokesman. “The safety of our customers and employees is always our top priority.”
The mix-up occurred as controllers were attempting to switch the directions from which planes were landing and taking off at the airport as a result of a storm that changed the wind direction, according to the FAA. The airport primarily uses one runway.
To contact the reporter on this story: Alan Levin in Washington at [email protected]
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Bernard Kohn at [email protected]
An air-traffic controller cleared two planes to take off in sequence from the airport as another lined up to land along the same path in the opposite direction, according to an e-mailed statement issued today by the Federal Aviation Administration.
The approaching plane and the first departing one got to within 1.4 miles of each other before the controller realized the mistake and turned one of the aircraft away, according to preliminary estimates released by the agency. The FAA statement didn’t make clear whether the planes would have collided if the controller had done nothing. The arriving aircraft was 400 feet higher than the departing plane, according to the agency.
“The FAA is investigating the incident and will take appropriate action to address the miscommunication,” the agency said in its statement.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board has begun gathering radar data and recordings of radio transmissions from the incident, Kelly Nantel, the agency’s spokeswoman, said in an e-mail. The safety board, which investigates accidents and incidents, hasn’t yet determined whether to open a formal case on the matter, Nantel said.
“We are currently investigating and working with the FAA to determine what occurred,” said Todd Lehmacher, a US Airways spokesman. “The safety of our customers and employees is always our top priority.”
The mix-up occurred as controllers were attempting to switch the directions from which planes were landing and taking off at the airport as a result of a storm that changed the wind direction, according to the FAA. The airport primarily uses one runway.
To contact the reporter on this story: Alan Levin in Washington at [email protected]
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Bernard Kohn at [email protected]