Investigators said Thursday that an incoming FedEx cargo plane came within 200 feet of hitting a Southwest Airlines jet last year in Austin, Texasafter both were given permission to use the same runway.
The FedEx co-pilot spotted the Southwest plane at the last minute and the cargo plane crew stopped and flew over the top of the Southwest plane, which was carrying 128 passengers and crew.
“This incident could have been catastrophic if not for the heroic actions of the FedEx crew,” said Jennifer Homendy, president of the FedEx organization. National Transportation Safety Board at the beginning of the panel’s hearing on the close call.
The five-member safety council heard descriptions of the incident from investigators and was expected to vote on a probable cause for the incident later Thursday.
The FedEx plane was making its final approach to land at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport when it nearly struck the top of the Southwest Boeing 737, which was roaring down the runway for takeoff in dense fog.
The air traffic controller said he had expected the Southwest plane, which he could not see because of the fog take off faster. In retrospect, the controller said, he could have made the Southwest crew wait until the FedEx Boeing 767 landed.
The captain of the FedEx plane told investigators he was irritated and perplexed when he heard the controller clear the Southwest plane to take off from the same runway he was approaching.
The incident was one of several close calls last year that prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to convene a “safety summit” of aviation industry participants.
FAA officials have maintained that U.S. aviation has never been so safe. However, a panel of independent experts concluded last year that the The safety margin becomes smaller and the FAA needs better staff and technology to manage the nation’s airspace.
The NTSB plans to release its report on the Austin incident in several weeks.