A close call between two major commercial airline flights was narrowly avoided over Syracuse, New York, captured on police dash camera video and prompting an investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The incident occurred when two regional jets, one operated by American Airlines' PSA Airlines and the other by Delta's Endeavor Air, were directed to use the same runway due to a traffic control error.
Initially, Air Traffic Control cleared American Eagle Flight 5511 to land while simultaneously instructing Delta Connection Flight 5421 to depart from the same runway at Syracuse Hancock International Airport. The video footage shows both planes approaching the runway from different directions, momentarily converging towards the same point in mid-air. While they did not physically collide, they came as close as 725 feet at their nearest point, indicating a critical near-miss situation.
The audio recording from Air Traffic Control revealed the confusion among pilots, with the American Airlines pilot seeking clarification about the conflicting instructions. In response, the controller instructed the American flight to abort its landing and perform a "go around" maneuver. However, as the American flight climbed to nearly 1,900 feet, it crossed paths with the Delta flight, which was taking off underneath it.
This incident underscores the potential dangers of conflicting air traffic control instructions and highlights the importance of rigorous safety protocols and effective communication between pilots and controllers to prevent such close calls in the future.
