The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has opened a formal investigation into a terrifying near-collision between two passenger aircraft over Pennsylvania, in what marks the latest aviation safety incident to raise concerns among regulators and travellers alike.
The alarming incident occurred on Monday afternoon when American Airlines Flight 606, an Airbus A321 en route from Miami to Chicago, and Spirit Airlines Flight 3044, an Airbus A320 flying from Atlantic City to Orlando, came within approximately 400 feet of each other near Harrisburg.
Air Traffic Control Error Blamed
Preliminary reports indicate the close call resulted from an air traffic controller error at the Washington Air Route Traffic Control Center in Leesburg, Virginia. The controller reportedly cleared the American Airlines flight to ascend to 23,000 feet while simultaneously instructing the Spirit Airlines aircraft to climb to 24,000 feet - placing them on a direct collision course.
Safety systems aboard both aircraft triggered emergency alerts, with the Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) issuing resolution advisories that prompted the American Airlines pilots to initiate an immediate descent while the Spirit Airlines crew began climbing.
Increasing Aviation Safety Concerns
This incident adds to growing concerns about aviation safety following several high-profile near-misses in recent months. The NTSB has classified this event as a 'loss of separation' incident, indicating the aircraft came closer than the minimum safe distance required by aviation regulations.
"This is exactly the type of incident that keeps aviation safety experts awake at night," said aviation analyst Michael Daniels. "While the safety systems worked as designed, the fact that human error brought these aircraft so close together is deeply concerning."
Investigation Underway
The NTSB confirmed it has launched a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the near-collision. Investigators will examine:
- Air traffic controller communications and procedures
- Cockpit voice recordings from both aircraft
- Radar data and flight path reconstruction
- TCAS system performance and response times
Both American Airlines and Spirit Airlines have stated they are fully cooperating with the investigation and have initiated their own internal safety reviews.
The Federal Aviation Administration has also been notified and is conducting a parallel review of air traffic control procedures at the Washington Center facility.
