2 Planes Involved In Near-Miss Near JFK, LaGuardia Airports
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a near-miss by two airplanes over New York City.
A Delta Air Lines Boeing 747 arriving at John F. Kennedy International Airport missed its approach and came close to a Shuttle America Embraer E170 departing from LaGuardia Airport at around 2:40 p.m. on June 13, the FAA said in a statement Friday.
The planes were about a half-mile apart horizontally and 200 feet vertically, the FAA said. the agency requires planes to maintain 1,000 feet of vertical distance and three miles of horizontal distance.
The FAA has categorized the incident as a "near miss," CBS 2's Amy Dardashtian reported, but when planes come within 500 feet of each other it is generally referred to as a "near mid air collisions."
LISTEN: Air Traffic Control Recording Via LiveATC.net Of Near-Miss Over NYC
WATCH: Radar Maps Of The Incident On NYCAviation.com
The aircraft were "turning away from each other at the point where they lost the required separation,'' the FAA said. Both planes landed safely.
The exact reason for the Delta flight's missed approach is unknown, but the FAA said standard procedures regulate missed approaches.
Pilots generally retreat to a safe altitude and with the help of air traffic control, loop back around and prepare to land again, the FAA said.
But something went wrong and the two planes ended up dangerously close. The exact location where they almost crossed paths is unclear. The agency said it isn't sure if a warning system went off alerting the pilots of the problem.
Delta declined to give any details, including the number of passengers on board, pending the FAA investigation.
The Shuttle America jet was operating as a Delta Connection flight and is equipped for 69 people. The Delta 747 can hold 376 passengers.
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