A Mesa Airlines flight crew was forced to abruptly abort a landing Wednesday at California’s Hollywood Burbank airport after an air traffic controller cleared a plane ahead of them, according to preliminary information obtained by NBC News. Had to happen
The incident is the latest in a string of apparent mix-ups at US airports, including several near misses.
The FAA said the crew of Mesa Airlines Flight 5826 was landing at the airport in Burbank, California, just before 7 p.m. local time when an air traffic controller cleared another plane ahead of them.
According to information, air traffic controllers cleared a SkyWest Airlines Embraer E175 to take off from runway 33, while a Mesa Bombardier CRJ900 was about 1.3 miles from the runway.
The Mesa pilot was able to pull off the landing and begin the climb. Meanwhile, the SkyWest aircraft continued with their departure, prompting automated alerts to sound on the flight deck of the Mesa aircraft.
The controller then instructed the Mesa crew to turn to a path that took it away from the other aircraft.
The FAA has said it is investigating the incident, which is the first of several recent lapses the agency has launched.
In one case earlier this month, an air traffic controller may have rebooked a runway at a Texas airport, According to officials, two jetliners were sent on a course for a possible collision, which was averted.
The close call occurred on February 4 at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport around 6:40 am. The FAA previously said a Boeing 737 operated by Southwest Airlines was cleared to depart shortly before the FedEx 767 cargo plane’s approved landing.
“The pilot of the FedEx airplane aborted the landing and initiated a climb,” it said. “Southwest flight departed safely.”
In another incident on January 16 at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, a Delta Air Lines plane was ordered to stop for takeoff after controllers noticed an American Airlines plane crossing its path. , the FAA previously said.
In that case, the Delta 737 was able to stop safely after a controller was heard saying on radio traffic archived by the website LiveATC, “Delta 1943, cancel takeoff clearance!”
FAA Acting Administrator Billy Nolen has called for an industry safety summit in March following the recent incidents.
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