FAA investigating near-air collision over Phoenix: NPR

The Federal Aviation Administration is once again investigate a close call at a major U.S. airport after two airliners narrowly avoided a mid-air collision in Phoenix over the weekend.

United Airlines Flight 1724 from San Francisco and Delta Air Lines Flight 1070 from Detroit came dangerously close as both attempted to land at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport on Saturday.

At their closest point, the two commercial planes, a Boeing 737 and an Airbus A330, flew about 1,200 feet apart laterally and 875 feet vertically, according to Flightradar24 data.

As the wide-body Delta approached a runway, an audible warning of “get down, get down” could be heard from the cockpit as the crew communicated with an air traffic controller. Pilots of the United jet also said they received an alert in the cockpit telling them to take evasive action. Both planes aborted their approach, circled the airport and then landed without incident, according to a recording archived on LiveATC.net.

“Both flight crews received onboard alerts that the other aircraft was nearby,” according to an FAA statement, and both were able to land safely after receiving corrective instructions from air traffic controllers.

This incident is the latest in a disturbing series of near misses. in the air And On Tracks in recent years, increasing questions about the health of the American aviation system.

The FAA says it’s investigating.