Tail of JetBlue Plane Strikes Runway During Takeoff, Narrowly Avoids Head-On Crash
The tail of a JetBlue plane struck a Colorado runway during takeoff last year when the captain quickly pointed the jet's nose upward to get airborne and avoid a head-on crash with a plane preparing to land on the same runway, federal investigators revealed Wednesday. The report's publication follows a string of similar incidents on U.S. airport runways in recent months.
The National Transportation Safety Board said that the JetBlue captain pointed the nose of his jet up more quickly than normal "due to his surprise about encountering head on landing traffic."
The crew of the other plane, a Beechcraft King Air 350, was startled when the JetBlue plane announced that it was beginning to taxi onto the runway. The King Air was still more than 5 miles from the airport, but closing fast.
"I hope you don't hit us," the King Air crew said to the JetBlue pilots.
The JetBlue captain and co-pilot said they never saw the other plane, but they veered to the right after takeoff to avoid traffic that was detected by the collision-avoidance system on their jet.
Planes in Near Collision at Colorado Airport
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has reported a near collision between a JetBlue Airbus A320 and a King Air private plane at Yampa Valley Regional Airport in Colorado. Flight data shows that the planes were approximately 2.6 miles apart when the JetBlue plane initiated a climbing right turn away from the airport. The NTSB has attributed the incident to "nonstandard" radio communication by the crew of the King Air.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stated that the NTSB determines the official causes of accidents and noted that the incident occurred before the FAA's current efforts to enhance aviation safety.
Risks at Smaller Airports
The NTSB's findings shed light on the challenges that can arise when large commercial jets and private planes operate at smaller airports without air traffic controllers. The mix of different types of aircraft can lead to conflicts and potential safety risks. Airline pilots may be less familiar with these airports due to seasonal flights.
John Cox, a former airline pilot and safety consultant, expressed concerns about the actions of both flight crews. He questioned why the JetBlue pilots proceeded with their takeoff without knowing the exact location of the other plane, and why the King Air crew did not alter their course after being informed of JetBlue's intention to take off.
The crew of the King Air did not take any major wrong actions until they realized that an A320 was coming towards them and did not abort the landing to avoid a collision, according to Cox.
The King Air's registered owner was contacted by The Associated Press via phone and online messages.
Doug Moss, a safety consultant and former pilot at United Airlines, stated that the JetBlue pilots were likely rushing through their checklists and switching between radio frequencies, causing them to underestimate the time they had. Moss believes that once the captain realized the situation, he made the correct decision to quickly raise the plane's nose for takeoff.
The JetBlue crew, consisting of a 45-year-old captain with over 11,000 hours of flying experience and a 40-year-old first officer, decided to cut their flight to Florida short and land at Denver International Airport. Fortunately, no one was injured, but the NTSB classified the tail strike as an accident and deemed the damage to the JetBlue plane as "substantial."
Moss added that if the airport had been controlled by a tower, this incident would not have occurred.
Other aviation close calls in recent months
In the past few months, there have been several other incidents in the aviation industry that have raised concerns about safety. Here are a few notable close calls:
- Near collision at major airport: In an incident last month, two planes came dangerously close to colliding at a major international airport. The pilots managed to take evasive action just in time to avoid a disaster.
- Emergency landing due to engine failure: A passenger plane had to make an emergency landing after one of its engines failed mid-flight. The pilots skillfully managed to land the aircraft safely, preventing any injuries or casualties.
- Unidentified object spotted near runway: Air traffic control reported a sighting of an unidentified object near a runway, causing a brief panic. After investigation, it was determined to be a weather balloon that had drifted off course.
- Communication failure during landing: During a routine landing, the communication system between the control tower and the pilot malfunctioned, leading to a temporary loss of contact. Fortunately, the pilot was able to rely on visual cues and successfully landed the plane without any issues.
These incidents highlight the importance of constant vigilance and adherence to safety protocols in the aviation industry. While close calls are a reminder of the risks involved, the industry continues to prioritize safety and work towards minimizing such incidents.
- On Jan. 18, two planes collided into each other at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.
- On Jan. 23 at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, a United Airlines plane crossed a runway while a private Cessna plane was landing.
- On Feb. 3 at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, two planes had a wing collision on the tarmac.
- On Feb. 6, a FedEx cargo airplane had to abort landing at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport after another plane was cleared for departure on the same runway.
- On Feb. 22 at Hollywood Burbank Airport in California, two planes attempted to take off from the same runway.
- On Feb. 27, a JetBlue plane and a Learjet narrowly avoided a collision at Boston Logan International Airport.
- On March 7, a Republic Airways flight taxied across a runway at Reagan National Airport just as a United Airlines flight was cleared for takeoff, according to the NTSB.
- In June, an American Airlines aircraft was instructed to cancel its landing at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport due to a Delta Air Lines plane still on the runway, as per the FAA.
- In August, a Cessna Citation aircraft reportedly flew over a Southwest aircraft by approximately 100 feet at San Diego International Airport.
