quarta-feira, 23 de julho de 2008

Too close: Private plane, passenger jet pass less than a mile apart near Ontario

A westbound Delta Air Lines 737 passenger jet and a single-engine private plane on the way to Arizona had a close call in the skies near Ontario on Tuesday, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Mike Fergus said.

The Delta two-engine jet was on approach to Los Angeles International Airport at 11,900 feet when the four-seat private plane at 11,500 feet came within seventh-tenths of a mile, said Fergus, who is based in the FAA's northwest region in Renton, Wash.

"It was way too close," Fergus said. "It was a very serious situation."

The incident happened about 9:20 a.m. Fergus said the private pilot acknowledged he made a wrong turn.

Fergus said the matter would be investigated.

Records indicate the Cirrus plane is owned by Tavelogic Enterprises LLC, based in Henderson, Nev. The plane took off from Van Nuys at 9:03 a.m. and landed in Tucson, Ariz., at 11:22 a.m. Mountain Standard Time. A telephone listing for Tavelogic Enterprises could not be located.

Dave Stevenson, a pilot who owns several planes at Corona Municipal Airport, said the Cirrus is a popular plane because it is made of carbon fiber and fiberglass and can go 200 mph and faster.

Anthony Black, a Delta spokesman, said the airline has not received information on the incident from its pilot and the FAA.


http://www.pe.com/localnews/rivcounty/stories/PE_News_Local_W_plane23.4a8f9b8.html

Fonte: Flight Safety Information 23/07/2008.

Nenhum comentário: