Pilots take evasive action as two planes landing at JFK get dangerously close
By Aaron Cooper, CNN
New York (CNN) — A plane landing at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport on Monday strayed into the flight path of a jet landing on a parallel runway, causing collision alarms to sound and forcing pilots to take evasive action.
Republic Airways Flight 4464, flying for American Airlines, was cleared to land on JFK’s runway 31 Left, while Jazz Aviation flight 554, flying for Air Canada, was landing on the parallel runway 31 Right.
“You are flying through the approach course of runway 31 left. Correct immediately,” the controller warned the Republic pilots, according to audio captured by ATC.com.
“Jazz 554 climb and maintain 3,000 (feet),” a different controller said, directing the plane to get out of the way. “The traffic on your left is overshooting the parallel.”
The Federal Aviation Administration says preliminary information shows the Republic plane aborted its landing “after missing the intended approach path and flying too close to Jazz Aviation Flight 554.”
Onboard anti-collision alarms sounded in both cockpits and both planes circled the airport before making safe landings.
Republic said its pilots complied with the onboard warning, “and, consistent with our training and procedures, executed a go-around to land without further incident.”
At their closest point, the aircraft were about a half-mile apart and within 350 feet of the same altitude, according to data from Flightradar24.
The FAA is investigating the incident, which follows several close calls in recent days.
Two Southwest Airlines jets got dangerously close near Nashville on Saturday, triggering collision alarms.
Earlier this month, a Frontier Airlines flight taxiing on the ground at Los Angeles International Airport had to slam on the brakes after two trucks passed in front of it.
And last month, a Black Hawk helicopter triggered an anti-collision alarm in a United plane landing in Orange County, California.
CNN’s Alexandra Skores contributed to this report.
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