SIA jet flies too close to another plane, but avoids collision

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http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/potential-collision-averted-after-sia-jet-flies-too-close-another

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A Singapore Airlines (SIA) plane leaving Houston flew too close to another plane before the courses of both aircraft were corrected, averting a potential collision.

NBC News reported that SIA flight SQ61 took off from Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport shortly before 7pm in the United States last Thursday.

The pilot did not level off when he reached 4,000ft as required, resulting in the aircraft being less than 2,000ft away from a Delta Air Lines plane that was preparing to land in Houston, NBC reported.

Under US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations, commercial airliners are expected to stay 15,840ft apart laterally, or 1,000ft vertically. The FAA said an air traffic controller noticed the deviation and issued alerts and instructions to the pilots of both aircraft. The incident is under investigation.

When contacted, an SIA spokesman confirmed there was “a loss of separation” involving the SIA Boeing 777-300ER aircraft and another plane in Houston. Flight SQ61 was carrying 235 passengers and 18 crew. It arrived safely in Moscow on July 4.