A near-miss incident occurred on Saturday, January 11, when a Delta Airlines flight and a United Airlines flight narrowly avoided colliding mid-air near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into the incident, which involved Delta Air Lines Flight 1070 and United Airlines Flight 1724.
According to the FAA, the near-collision occurred at approximately 11 a.m. when the two flights experienced a “loss of required separation.”
This lapse in separation prompted the crews on both aircraft to receive alerts onboard, warning them of the proximity of the other plane. In response, air traffic control at the airport swiftly issued corrective instructions to both flight crews, ensuring the safe landing of both planes.
The Delta Airlines flight, an Airbus A330-300, was arriving from Detroit with 245 passengers on board, while the United Airlines flight, a Boeing 737-900, was coming in from San Francisco with 123 passengers and six crew members.
Fortunately, both flights were able to land safely.
The incident has sparked a thorough investigation by the FAA has launched an investigation to determine how the passenger jets came so close to each other.
United Airlines has issued a statement, explaining that while preparing to land at Phoenix, their plane received “an automatic flight deck warning to change their altitude,” prompting the pilots to take immediate action and land the plane safely. The airline has assured that it is cooperating fully with the FAA’s investigation.
Delta Airlines has also released a statement, emphasizing the importance of safety and the extensive training their flight crews undergo to handle uncommon scenarios like this. The airline confirmed that their crew followed the resolution advisory as directed, ensuring the safe landing of the flight.
