Two Planes Escape Disaster—Barely

US Airways jet, cargo plane nearly collide over Minneapolis
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Suggested by SwellConvivialGuy
Posted Sep 23, 2010 6:13 PM CDT
Two Planes Escape Disaster—Barely
File photo: US Airways and United Airlines airplanes are seen at Philadelphia International Airport in Philadelphia, Thursday, April 8, 2010.   (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Way too close for comfort: A US Airways jet with 90 passengers came within 50 to 100 feet of colliding with a cargo plane over Minneapolis. The NTSB is investigating the near collision, reports the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, which points out that it occurred over a residential neighborhood and two busy highways.

To visualize: The planes took off from parallel runways, with the US Airways plane on the right. Both were directed to turn left, but only the US Airways pilot did. That caused the passenger jet to fly directly above the small cargo plane. "Neither pilot saw the other aircraft because they were in the clouds, although the captain of the US Airways flight reported hearing the Beech 99 pass nearby," says the NTSB.
(More US Airways stories.)

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