Planes ‘come within 100ft of colliding after air traffic controllers distracted’
Investigators say a crash was only prevented when San Diego airport's automated tracking system alerted the controller to a potential collision
MikeTyes
A private jet and a Southwest Airlines plane narrowly averted collision at a San Diego airport two years ago after air traffic controllers got distracted, a new report has revealed.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued its final findings on Tuesday regarding the August 2023 incident, stating that both the controller managing the aircraft and their supervisor made "bad choices" that diverted their attention from the landing procedure. The two planes came within just 100 feet of each other on the runway.
Disaster was only prevented when the airport's automated tracking system for ground movements alerted the controller to the potential conflict. This allowed the private jet to execute a go-around, circling before eventually landing without incident.
This alarming close call intensifies growing concerns over aviation safety, following a series of recent incidents. These include the deadliest US plane crash in decades, involving an airliner and an Army helicopter, as well as other significant accidents and near-misses. A separate tragedy in June saw an Air India plane crash shortly after take-off, claiming the lives of 241 of the 242 people on board, alongside 29 individuals on the ground.
The NTSB said the San Diego controller who was overseeing the landings that day used poor judgment when they decided to call the regional FAA radar facility about correcting the altitude of an unrelated plane as the business jet was approaching for landing. The controller acknowledged that mistake in an interview after the incident.
Another factor that contributed to the planes coming so close is that the controller's supervisor in the tower was also distracted. The NTSB said the supervisor was in the middle of troubleshooting a problem with a printer the controllers use. The supervisor decided to try to fix the printer instead of just switching over to the backup printer, taking their attention away from the landing operation, the report said.
Fortunately the San Diego airport is one of 35 major airports where the FAA has installed advanced surface radar systems installed to help track aircraft and vehicles on the ground. That system provided a crucial backup layer of safety that prevented a crash in this incident.
