Summary
- An American Airlines flight got here close to a different aircraft because the two planes descended into parallel runways at JFK airport.
- Each flights landed safely, however the American Airlines pilot expressed concern over the near miss, stating that they might have collided in the event that they hadn’t taken evasive motion.
- The Federal Aviation Administration investigated the incident and located protected separation had been maintained through the operation.
An American Airlines flight reportedly got here near colliding with a smaller aircraft on the descent to Recent York’s JFK airport earlier this month. The incident occurred because the two flights were approaching parallel runways, potentially using the identical side.
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The American Airlines Airbus A321 (registration N109NN) was completing flight AA28 from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Recent York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) after a flight time of 4 and a half hours. The Airbus was given clearance for an ILS approach on runway 22 left.
Because it approached the airport at 2,000 feet, air traffic controllers and the pilots were heard confirming the presence of two other aircraft within the vicinity: a Delta Air Lines’ Boeing 757 on its final approach and a Pilatus jet coming in from the opposite direction.
Photo: Flightradar24
The smaller jet was a Pilatus PC-12 (registration N235RB) belonging to Tradewind Aviation. Operating as flight GPD235 from White Plains Westchester County Airport (HPN), the charter flight was cleared for the approach on runway 22 right.
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The American Airlines flight was then instructed by air traffic control to carry at 2,000 feet until established on the left localizer. At this point, the American Airlines pilot will be heard on the recordings confirming that the plane was established on the left localizer before correcting himself and saying, . The air traffic controller then repeats that the American Airlines flight is landing on the left side:
“American 28, its ILS 22R.”
At this point, the tower instructs the Tradewinds flight, flying at 2,500 feet, to show left to heading 260 to intercept the 22R localizer. The Pilatus pilot will be heard confirming the heading and directions to intercept the localizer without distinguishing which side in his response.
Moments later, the American Airlines pilot will be heard asking the tower, “”. The tower responded that the smaller flight was landing on the parallel, 22R, to which the American Airlines pilot responded, “.” The tower then instructed the smaller plane to vary its direction because it had joined the 22L approach.
Photo: Flightradar24
Based on flight tracking data, the aircraft would have been around 500 feet apart. This was confirmed when the tower instructed the Pilatus to keep up its recent hearing at 2,500 feet and instructed the American Airlines flight to proceed its descent:
“American 28, you possibly can proceed inbound for the approach, he’s coming out.”
Each flights landed safely shortly after that. As he taxied to the gate, the American Airlines pilot might be heard asking for the phone variety of the air traffic tower. The tower responded with the number as requested and confirmed that the approach got “.” To which the pilot replied:
If we hadn’t bailed out, we’d have collided”
Easy Flying spoke to the Federal Aviation Administration, which confirmed it investigated the incident and determined ” through the November tenth operation.