Close Call Between Flights Enroute to Newark

[Matt Molnar]

AP (via Google News):

FAA: Planes Have Close Call Near Newark (http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5heRHx1ogaM1sMD9PrDvaI2-suNXwD8U81JV01)

By DAVID PORTER – 13 hours ago

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — An air traffic controller mistakenly gave a passenger jet the frequency for the wrong airport, an error that put that plane and another landing at Newark Liberty International Airport much closer than they should have been, authorities said Thursday.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the near miss, which occurred at 2:10 p.m. Wednesday between a Boeing 737 and an Embraer 145. The Boeing operated as Continental Flight 536 arriving from Phoenix and the Embraer was Continental Express Flight 2614 arriving from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Read more... (http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5heRHx1ogaM1sMD9PrDvaI2-suNXwD8U81JV01)

[PhilDernerJr]

Though an error was made, this made the news because the two planes were 1.25 miles apart? Come on.

[RDU-JFK]

Though an error was made, this made the news because the two planes were 1.25 miles apart? Come on.

The media vultures' aviation ears perked up after the 777 incident yesterday.

[njgtr82]

[quote="Phil D.":c753d]Though an error was made, this made the news because the two planes were 1.25 miles apart? Come on.

The media vultures' aviation ears perked up after the 777 incident yesterday.[/quote:c753d]

I disagree... All of the near missed have been receiving equally as much attention lately

[Cary]

CBS' graphic on this is hilarious...I don't even know where to begin..

http://llnw.image.cbslocal.com/320x240/airport.bmp

Then you have brilliant quotes like this:

"When you have two massive planes, each with hundreds of people and tons of jet fuel and flying at hundreds of miles an hour and coming within 600 feet of each other, that's a big deal," Sen. Charles Schumer said.

http://wcbstv.com/local/newark.airport. ... 32715.html (http://wcbstv.com/local/newark.airport.continental.2.632715.html)

[njgtr82]

Actually that graphic is dead on... the e-145 was coming over head the runway 4 #'s for runway 29

[Cary]

Actually that graphic is dead on... the e-145 was coming over head the runway 4 #'s for runway 29

Which of those 4-engined beasts is the 737 and which one is the ERJ? ;) Also, wasn't the horizontal separation 1.25 miles? Unless I'm missing something, the graphic shows them about 100 feet apart.

[njgtr82]

Haha ok, well the aircraft types might be slightly off

[Cary]

Haha ok, well the aircraft types might be slightly off

They do fit Schumer's description of "two massive planes, each with hundreds of people" though ;)

[flyboy 28]

Haha ok, well the aircraft types might be slightly off

They do fit Schumer's description of "two massive planes, each with hundreds of people" though ;)

Yeah, a 747, and an even bigger 747! :P

[LGA777]

If this happened the way I understand the Jetlink pilot working the radios is partially to blame. A commuter pilot for an airline like Jetlink flies to dozens of airports and may not have all the ATC tower freqs for each airport memorized. But at the hub, in this case EWR where these pilots fly almost every day and are very likely based at most would have those airport freqs memorized, and should have realized this was the wrong freq. I'll bet if you put 100 Jetlink pilots in this exact scenerio at least 90 of them (90 pct) would have a little light bulb go off over the head saying "thats not the EWR Tower freq".

My 2 cents

LGA777