Non-public jet got here ‘inside 100 ft’ of colliding with Southwest airplane at California airport, NTSB says

By Pete Muntean | CNN

A pilot who practically landed a personal jet on high of a business jetliner on Friday apparently observed the opposite airplane nonetheless on the runway, and investigators say collision was prevented by lower than 100 ft.

The pinnacle of the Nationwide Transportation Security Board tells CNN {that a} Cessna Quotation coming in for touchdown on San Diego Worldwide Airport’s runway 27 Friday got here “inside 100 ft” of Southwest Airways flight 2493.

RELATED: San Francisco-bound United flight’s plunge towards the ocean was attributable to pilot error, NTSB says

The element offered Monday by NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy comes as her company is investigating the incident generally known as a runway incursion, the seventh being probed by investigators because the begin of this yr.

“It’s a giant concern for me and the company,” Homendy mentioned. “I fear about potential tragedy.”

The FAA mentioned over the weekend that San Diego air visitors controllers cleared an arriving Cessna Quotation jet to land on runway 27, then instructed Southwest flight 2493 to taxi onto the identical runway and stand by for takeoff clearance.

The company says collision warning alarms alerted air visitors controllers “in regards to the creating scenario,” and controllers ordered the crew of the Quotation to abort their touchdown and go round.