Two planes nearly collide over O'Hare, NTSB says

[IDemo]

Source: Chicago Sun Times

Corporate Learjet was just 325 feet above passenger plane

July 24, 2008

BY MARY WISNIEWSKI
Transportation Reporter

A corporate jet and an American Eagle passenger plane nearly collided Monday afternoon over O'Hare Airport, the National Transportation Safety Board said.

At 12:47 p.m. Monday, American Eagle Flight 4298 to Peoria was leaving runway 32L and a Learjet LR60, operating as a corporate flight, was landing on runway 9R, the NTSB said.

The assistant/monitor for the local air traffic controller saw the converging paths of the planes and told the local controller to tell the Learjet to go around. The American Eagle was told to stay low on departure.

Radar replays revealed the Learjet passed just 325 feet above and slightly behind the departing American Eagle, the NTSB reported.

Read more: http://www.suntimes.com/news/transportation/1072482,CST-NWS-midair24.article

[marias23]

1. Reagenomics At Work

Its only a matter of time.

Who needs banking, food, airplane etc. etc. supervision? The markets will correct EVERYTHING.

[MetaTrope]

2. Once commercial passenger service has been driven into the ground, this won't be a problem anymore

[eowyn_of_rohan]

3. yeah. Then corporate and private planes will have the air to themselves.

and only the people rich enough to own them will be able to fly

[bdab1973]

4. I think you have the wrong perception

Most small private planes aren't owned by the "rich". I have a few friends that own their own private airplane, and they are not rich...just normal middle class people. If you want to forgo buying a Suburban and get a used car instead, you can afford an airplane. Most corporate jets aren't just used by the CEOs, they are often used by many in management to attend meetings...depends on the corporation you work for.

As for corporate and private aviation, they aren't the ones running the political show by any means. The airlines have a huge lobby and are trying to get the government to end the tax placed on air travelers that airlines charge to support and pay for the airspace system. Private aircraft owners pay this tax too, it's included in their fuel surcharges. The airlines want to go to a "user fee" based system, which would effectively price small (middle class) aircraft owners out of the system...then the airlines can have the airspace to themselves.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

6. Disregard my post

I obviously have a lot to learn about this.

[kestrel91316]

5. I was in O'Hare on Saturday (had to take the LOOOONNNNGGG way to NOLA)

and lived to tell about it. But when I was returning from NOLA to LAX on Tuesday, we had a small jet fly underneath us too close for comfort, IMHO.