Two American airlines jets nearly cross paths after flight number mix-up over Phoenix
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Two American airlines jets nearly cross paths after flight number mix-up over Phoenix")
American Airlines jets are parked at their gates at Laguardia AIrport on November 10, 2022 in the Queens borough of New York City. The airline industry has rebounded this year and is looking forward to a busy holiday season. Photograph: (AFP)
An alert air traffic controller averted a potential mid-air collision over Phoenix after two American Airlines jets accidentally operated under the same flight number, safely managing their converging paths.
Two American Airlines passenger jets came close to each other over Phoenix after both were mistakenly operating under the same flight number, in a potentially dangerous mix-up that was quickly resolved by an alert air traffic controller.
The incident took place shortly after midnight on Friday (Aug 14), when two aircraft identified as American Airlines Flight 2482 were briefly in the same airspace over Phoenix Sky Harbour International Airport in Arizona, the Associated Press reported.
One aircraft was arriving from Chicago, while the other had just departed Phoenix. The Chicago-bound flight had been delayed by bad weather, prompting American Airlines to use another aircraft for the Phoenix departure. However, both flights ended up operating under the same flight number.
The two aircraft later approached converging flight paths, creating a potentially dangerous situation. If both pilots had interpreted the controller's instructions as applying to their respective aircraft, the situation could have resulted in a collision.
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The air traffic controller quickly identified the mix-up and began distinguishing between the two aircraft as "American 2482 on the arrival" and "American 2482 on the departure". He instructed the arriving aircraft to remain above the departing jet and told the departing aircraft not to climb too high, helping maintain the required vertical separation as their flight paths converged. The controller also ensured that both pilots spotted the other aircraft while they were still several miles apart, allowing the jets to maintain a safe distance.
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