A recent video that shows two planes nearly crashing has gone viral online. The video surfaced in the morning on Monday, July 8. It has caused conflict among travelers and raised safety concerns throughout the aviation industry. These concerns come at a time when aviation safety is highly questioned. The countless accidents and mishaps that have happened within the last two years have made some travelers anxious and paranoid about travel. This incident is no different. Here is everything that travelers should know about the near plane collision.
The Video
The near-plane collision involved two Bombardier CRJ-700 planes. The planes were from different airlines and the incident occurred above the Syracuse Hancock International Airport around 11:50 a.m. EDT. Delta Air Lines flight 5421 was headed to New York City while American Airlines flight 5511 was coming from Washington D.C. Eighty and seventy-nine passengers were on the planes, respectively. In total, 159 passengers plus the crew were at risk in the shocking incident.
The video, which was recorded by police from North Syracuse Police Department, shows one plane descending while the other ascends. While avid travelers are accustomed to seeing several planes being up in the air at once, the proximity of the aircraft was a major cause of concern. Watching the video gives the viewer the impression that the planes were about to collide but upon further inspection they were just extremely close. The aircraft were only 725 feet apart at one point.
Although aviation safety is taken extremely seriously, this near collision was caused by human error. More specifically, an air traffic control error led to two planes trying to come and go from the same runway. The pilot for the incoming American Airlines flight was cleared to land on runway 28 while the departing Delta Air Lines flight pilot was cleared to take off from runway 28. This arrangement posed a difficult predicament further strained as the American Airlines pilot caught the mistake first midair. Upon discovering the situation, air traffic control told the American Airlines pilot to “go around” the departing Delta Air Lines flight. This avoidable situation was stressful for everyone involved, with some people near the airport nearly panicking.
Results Of The Incident
Since Monday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has begun investigating the near-plane collision. Delta Air Lines has released a statement that makes its intention to work with aviation authorities clear. American Airlines has confirmed that the incident occurred but has not commented on it. The FAA plans to find out all it can about this headlining incident—what led to it—and continue its focus on aircraft safety.
