The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is conducting an investigation into a near miss involving a flight school-owned Beechcraft 76 and a JetBlue Airways passenger jet near Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. The incident occurred on Monday evening as JetBlue Flight 1256 was preparing to land.
According to the FAA, the JetBlue pilots received an onboard alert indicating the presence of another aircraft that was not in communication with air traffic control. The planes came within 500 feet vertically and approximately 1.6 miles horizontally of each other, based on data from FlightRadar24.
Details of the Incident
The close call took place around 6:15 p.m. as JetBlue Flight 1256 was on its landing approach. Air traffic control audio, captured by ATC.com, reveals that a controller alerted the JetBlue pilots to the nearby aircraft. The Beechcraft 76, registered to Sun City Aviation LLC, was reportedly operating in visual flight conditions, which typically do not require communication with air traffic control.
In response to the alert, the JetBlue pilots received a Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) notification and ascended to maintain the required separation. The FAA confirmed that the necessary separation was ultimately maintained.
Context and Safety Concerns
The incident occurred in an area known for concentrated flight training activity, where student pilots and training aircraft are common. This highlights the challenges of managing airspace that accommodates both commercial and training flights.
Recent months have seen several similar close calls at airports across the United States, raising concerns about air traffic safety. In one notable incident last year, a collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet resulted in 67 fatalities.
As the FAA continues its investigation, the aviation community remains focused on ensuring the safety of both commercial and training flights in busy airspaces.
Original reporting: WPBF West Palm Beach — read the source article.
