Reuters AlertNet Lite - Airliner, small plane nearly collide at Denver port

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Airliner, small plane nearly collide at Denver port

05 Jan 2007 22:05:00 GMT
Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - An airliner and a small plane nearly collided on a runway in Denver on Friday, missing each other by about 50 feet, U.S. crash investigators said.

The National Transportation Safety Board said it was investigating the near miss involving a Frontier Airlines <FRNT.O> Airbus A319 and a turboprop.

Officials said the crew of Frontier Flight 297 broke out of low clouds, saw the other plane on the runway and roared overhead in executing a missed approach.

"It is estimated that the aircraft came within 50 feet (15 metres) of each other," safety board investigators said.

A Frontier spokesman could not be reached immediately for comment.

The incident raises new questions about the relevancy of a Federal Aviation Administration anti-collision system that sounded in the air traffic control tower at about the time the Frontier pilots saw the other plane.

Some safety experts argue the FAA technology -- which requires the controllers to notify the cockpit -- would not help in certain situations, especially when seconds separate safety from disaster.

There are hundreds of near collisions on airport runways annually, virtually all involving small planes.

The safety board launched an investigation in November of three incidents involving commercial jetliners that used wrong runways at U.S. airports.

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Last updated:Fri Jan 5 22:05:41 2007