NTSB attributes close call between FedEx and Southwest planes to air traffic controller's faulty assumption in Texas
- NTSB investigates the cause of a near-collision between FedEx and Southwest planes in Texas.
- Faulty assumption by an air traffic controller nearly led to a runway collision.
- Federal investigators to determine probable cause of the incident.
Federal investigators are deciding what caused two planes to almost crash at an airport in Austin, Texas last year. A FedEx cargo plane and a Southwest Airlines jet came very close to colliding on the same runway. The FedEx co-pilot saw the Southwest plane just in time and pulled up to avoid hitting it. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is discussing the incident and will vote on the likely cause. The FedEx plane was landing while the Southwest jet was taking off in foggy weather. The air traffic controller thought the Southwest jet would take off faster than it did. This mistake almost led to a serious accident. The NTSB will release a report on this incident soon. The NTSB found that the air traffic controller's wrong assumption and the Southwest pilots not communicating properly caused the planes to almost collide. The FedEx crew's quick actions prevented a disaster. The lack of technology to warn about potential collisions was also noted. The NTSB criticized the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for not requiring the airport to have better tracking technology. The incident in Austin was one of many close calls last year that led to a safety meeting by the FAA. The goal is to prevent such incidents and ensure the safety of air travel.