Jets Not Close to Collision; Data Show They Were Over 3,500 Feet From Each Other

BOSTON - An FAA spokesman said two jets were not in danger of colliding when a cockpit alarm caused a Delta Air Lines pilot to abort a landing at Logan International Airport this week.

Radar data indicate that the Boeing 757 was about 100 feet above a Delta Connection regional jet, but the jets had approximately 3,500 feet of horizontal separation, FAA spokesman Jim Peters said yesterday.

"There was no potential for a collision," Peters said.

A collision avoidance alarm sounded in the Delta cockpit at 4:37 p.m. on Tuesday after an on-board radar system detected the nearby presence of a Delta Connection regional jet operated by Chautauqua Airlines. Both planes had been descending over Hingham Bay toward the airport in gusty winds.

After banking up, the Delta pilot radioed Logan tower that the other jet was "just about 100 feet below us."

Air traffic controllers had warned both pilots to keep each other in sight as they descended toward nearly parallel runways. Both pilots acknowledged the order, Peters said.

It was unlikely that the pilots mistook another jet in the area for the one they were instructed to keep in sight, Peters said.

The Delta pilot will be required to file a report with the FAA describing the incident, Peters said.

A Delta spokeswoman said the Atlanta-based airline is investigating the incident.

"Anything that's not a normal routine flight operation, we would have a report from our pilots and launch an investigation and get everyone's side of the story," spokeswoman Gina Loughlin said.

The landing patterns being used Tuesday are a new configuration in the wake of the opening of a new runway at Logan in November.

Smaller aircraft are allowed to use Runway 14/32 when winds are blowing at 10 knots or above. Larger planes make staggered landings on the nearly parallel Runway 33L when clear conditions permit pilots to monitor the position of other aircraft.

"There was no potential for a collision."

Jim Peters, FAA spokesman

News stories provided by third parties are not edited by "Aircraft Maintenance Technology" staff. For suggestions and comments, please click the Contact link at the bottom of this page.