Mid-air disaster avoided close to US Phoenix Airport FAA Probes Near-Miss Incident

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating a close call between a United Airlines and a Delta Airlines flight at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport on January 11, after a narrowly averted mid-air collision. 

Delta Flight 1070, carrying 245 passengers aboard an Airbus A330-300 and originating from Detroit, was on its approach to land at Runway 8 when a collision warning sounded in the cockpit at around 11 a.m., Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

At the same time, a similar alert was triggered on United Flight 1724, a Boeing 737-900 en route from San Francisco with 123 passengers and six crew members onboard.

Both aircraft were reportedly within 1,217 feet of each other—less than a quarter of a mile—at their closest point, with the United flight descending above the Delta plane before both crews received corrective instructions from air traffic control. The planes were separated vertically by 875 feet at the time.

Despite the proximity, both flights landed safely, with no injuries reported. The FAA noted the planes had lost required separation while inbound, and the quick response from air traffic controllers helped prevent a disaster.

The agency has pointed to an increase in “runway incursions” at US airports, with 1,757 incidents reported in fiscal 2024 alone, underscoring the need for enhanced air traffic control measures.

Delta Airlines confirmed the incident, highlighting that their aircraft are equipped with technology to prevent such near-misses. Meanwhile, United expressed its commitment to working with the FAA on the ongoing investigation.

The event follows a series of similar near-misses at US airports, including a close call in Austin, Texas, last year and another at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York, prompting heightened attention on air traffic safety and controller fatigue.

By Aghakazim Guliyev