Nearmiss at Dallas, or News Hype?
 

Dateline May 14, from MSNBC News, any clarification from UPS or AA crew?:

"IT’S SATURDAY night at one of the nation’s busiest airports, Dallas-Ft. Worth. A small cargo plane is given permission to taxi from a United Parcel Service hanger, across two runways, to what’s called the “General Aviation” airplane parking area. Meanwhile, American flight 2394, with 60 passengers aboard, is waiting to take off for Chicago.

As the cargo plane crosses, clearing the second runway, controllers give the American plane the go-ahead to take off, and it rolls.

But, in the dark, the cargo plane makes a wrong turn and mistakenly taxies back onto the active, take-off runway, directly in the path of the speeding American plane. The American pilot sees disaster looming, seconds away, out his front window. He swerves his plane to the right, lifts the nose up, long before the plane has reached the speed normally required for take-off, and struggles to get airborne — his only chance at missing the cargo plane.

It works, and the American plane climbs out, missing the cargo plane by what the pilot later tells his airline was only ten to twenty feet.

Ten to twenty feet is an incredibly slim margin for a plane with a wingspan of almost 100 feet, hurtling down the runway at more than 100 miles an hour. In fact, it was so close that, at first, the American pilot feared he had actually clipped the cargo plane.

Finally in the air, but worried about damage to his own plane, the American pilot radios back. After some moments, assured the two plane have missed, he radios again, “We’re quite shaken, but we’re going to continue to Chicago.”

"Small cargo aircraft" was operated by Ameriflight, a contractor for UPS. It apparently was repositioning to be fueled. Reports differ on closeness - FAA says 100 feet - NTSB says 10-20 feet. Either way, it was close. If it was an MD or larger,or a heavily loaded F-100, it probably would not have reached Vmu. (Ok, flight test guys - is this a reasonable use of the term Vmu?)

From CNN:

DALLAS, Texas (CNN) -- The Federal Aviation Administration has launched an investigation after an American Airlines jet narrowly missed slamming into a cargo plane that had entered the same runway. It was so close, the American pilot swerved and immediately pulled up to avoid a crash, officials said.

FAA officials said it appeared the cargo
pilot was to blame, but that the investigation was continuing into the late Friday incident at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

By one account, the planes came within about 10 feet of each other. "According to the American pilot, it was within 10 feet," said Mike Mulder, president of the local controllers union.

No one was injured in the near-collision. The American plane, a Fokker 100, which seats about 90 people, went on to Chicago's Midway Airport, where it arrived safely.

Mulder said the American pilot "veered to the
right side of the runway" when his lights
illuminated the cargo plane and then "pulled up his aircraft" before he reached his intended takeoff speed.

FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said the incident is being called a "pilot deviation," but the investigation is ongoing.

One source familiar with the incident said the cargo plane was instructed by controllers to cross two runways and turn onto a taxiway. The pilot followed those instructions, but turned onto the wrong taxiway that led to the runway where the near-collision.

Mulder said the cargo plane, a twin-engine turbo-prop, went about 700-800 feet down the runway; at the same time, controllers cleared the American plane for takeoff.

FAA spokesman John Clabes, who is with the FAA's southwest regional office, said the cargo pilot "didn't obey instructions and apparently got lost." He said the American pilot "swerved and pulled up" to avoid the cargo plane.

If true, well done that crew of the F100.....

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Its not the fall that kills you...Its the sudden stop.....

Agreed - - a HUGE well done to the AA flight crew. Put yourself in their position: accelerating normally on takeoff roll, and all of a sudden you see see another aircraft stray into your path -- you're much too fast to stop the aircraft before impact, yet still below Vr. Logical thinking, quick action, and yes, even a bit of luck too (sizes of aircraft, load/weight of F100, etc.), resulted in the avoidance of a tragic event.

"Shaken" is probably an understatement.

[This message has been edited by McD (edited 16 May 2001).]

Not a nice event, but there is a precedent. Info from the NTSB.

Gulp !!!

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10 West
UK ATC'er
[email protected]

[This message has been edited by 10W (edited 16 May 2001).]

GO to this site and watch it for yourself. Very scary. Listen to the PVD controller as well if you dare.

http://www.ntsb.gov/events/2000/incu...ur%5Fvideo.htm