FAA investigates near collision between 2 planes on O'Hare Airport runway
CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a close call on an O'Hare International Airport runway involving an American Airlines jet and a United Airlines jet.
Investigators call the incident a "runway incursion," which was not caught on camera.
The FAA said an American Eagle jet, cleared by air traffic controllers for takeoff, had to steer around a United Express plane around 9:45 p.m. on Feb. 17. The United jet had turned without authorization onto an active runway.
The American Eagle plane took off without incident and flew to Columbus, Ohio. The United Express flight was headed to Toronto.
An FAA investigator is expected to look into the matter.
Passengers at O'Hare said they do worry about close calls, but the concern does not stop them from flying.
"Sometimes you just want to go. We went on a cruise. We had to travel from Allentown to Florida and we had to fly. I'd rather not do it, but sometimes you just do it. You want to go," said Susan Magee, who lives in Allentown Pennsylvania.
The three airports with the most close calls are also the busiest: O'Hare, Los Angeles International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
