Anti-collision alarms went off in two Delta Air Lines planes in Atlanta after one plane, trying to land, got too close to the second, which had just taken off.
The incident occurred Monday after one pilot’s decision to do a go-around maneuver, delaying the landing to ensure the runway was clear, got his plane too close to another plane that had just taken off.
“Delta Air Lines flight 2472 was departing from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport when it crossed in front of Delta Air Lines flight 1568, which had executed a pilot-initiated go-around because another aircraft was slow to exit the same runway,” the Federal Aviation Administration told Fox News in a statement. The agency is investigating the incident.
As Flight 1568 climbed to 4,000 feet as part of the maneuver, Flight 2472, which had taken off from a parallel runway, also climbed to the same altitude, according to air traffic control audio cited by CNN.
The planes got as close as 1,800 feet from each other with a 600-foot separation in altitude, according to CNN. The close proximity then triggered the alarms on both planes.
A Delta spokesperson said that “during the go-around, the flight crew maneuvered in accordance with established procedures while maintaining safe operations. Our crews train extensively to handle uncommon scenarios like this,” according to WXIA-TV.
Delta Flight 1568 was arriving in Atlanta from Lovell Field in Chattanooga, Tennessee, 103 miles to the northwest, having originally come from Pittsburgh International Airport before diverting to due to weather. Flight 2472 had just taken off for Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport in Rochester, New York, about 66 miles northeast of Buffalo, New York, according to flight tracking website FlightAware.
Both flights landed safely without further incident.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.