5 Shocking Facts About Near-Collisions in Air Travel

Something alarming has been occurring at airports nationwide recently: two planes have come within inches of each other on runways in New York, Boston, Hawaii, California and Texas.

While these incidents may make you hesitate, experts say that flying remains safe. There could be several explanations as to why such events happened despite what may appear in the headlines.

1. The most common near-collision occurs when a plane is about to take off.

Recent headlines about planes crashing onto or near runways has likely rattled even the most confident fliers, yet flights remain much safer than driving.

Planes spend most of their time at high altitude, so the safest part of flying is usually cruising. But there is one brief period between beginning and ending flights that is particularly hazardous; many airplane accidents occur during this period.

At least, your chances of surviving a plane crash are relatively good: according to the National Transportation Safety Board, 95% of plane crashes are survivable and when it comes to safety during flights, the most hazardous moments occur when landing the aircraft on land.

Final descent and landing are often the most complex parts of a flight, which explains why they only account for a fraction of its total duration. Planes have to slow down quickly while stopping abruptly to maintain control during landing - this often results in serious injuries or fatalities occurring on this step of a journey.

Pilots utilizing TCAS (Traffic Collision Avoidance System) in order to help avoid collisions during final descent use a system known as Traffic Collision Avoidance System to warn them of other planes nearby. The system utilizes sensors onboard the aircraft that detect nearby aircraft, then displays them on a monitor in the cockpit. If pilots detect another aircraft they are warned with a loud alarm; TCAS then automatically corrects their course accordingly.

In January alone, three planes nearly collided on runways across two airports: JetBlue at Santa Barbara Airport had to abort its landing as an American Airlines plane crossed its path; and Delta at John F. Kennedy International Airport had to halt takeoff due to a Learjet 60 taking off without clearance from its operator. These instances, known as incursions by the FAA, are classified as Category B events, meaning there is significant potential for collision and time critical corrective actions are necessary in order to avert them from occurring.

2. The most common near-collision occurs when a plane is about to land.

Statistics may be alarming, but flying remains safer than driving. Planes spend most of their time cruising at high altitudes where they don't likely to encounter other aircraft; the danger lies when planes prepare to land; this short phase accounts for almost half of all plane crashes.

Aircraft traffic density is highest near airports, where planes fly in close formations following specific rules. According to AOPA research, two-thirds of mid-air collisions happen when planes are on final approach or over the runway - it's easy to understand why this would happen given that air traffic controllers work under immense pressure while needing to communicate clearly with pilots and other members of their staff.

Mistakes happen even with the best intentions, and that appears to have been the case during recent incidents at JFK and Austin-Bergstrom International Airports where planes came close together. Experts attributed these near encounters to air traffic controllers' directions; there were 1,732 incursions between 2020-2022 with most being classified as Category D incursions where no immediate safety implications resulted from them while only a handful qualified as Category A collisions were narrowly avoided by close maneuvering of planes.

The FAA is facing many difficulties, from an increase in runway incidents and staffing shortages, to outdated technology preventing travel. But they have been working diligently to overcome them; and you are far less likely to die in an airplane crash than from eating too many steaks! Just keep your seat belt buckled tight if traveling soon as an unexpected bump may appear along your journey.

3. The most common near-collision occurs when a plane is about to turn.

An near mid-air collision (NMAC) occurs when two aircraft collide unintentionally while flying. They usually occur near airports where large numbers of planes fly within close proximity, often at close altitude.

NMACs can lead to serious damage or destruction of both aircraft involved, threatening flight safety. While mid-air collisions are relatively uncommon due to vast airspace availability, they're more common at airports where planes tend to fly closer together.

On Saturday at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas, another high-profile near collision almost occurred when a FedEx cargo plane coming in for landing came within 100 feet of colliding with a Southwest Airlines 737 aircraft taking off from that runway. This marks the second such near catastrophe at major U.S. airport since January 13 at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City.

Aviation experts maintain that despite recent high-profile incidents, air travel remains safe. According to them, non-major aviation accidents reported publicly only account for a tiny percentage of the 45,000 flights made daily across America.

If you have experienced a near-collision while flying, the FAA's voluntary Aviation Safety Reporting System allows for reporting. Forms and more information are available through AOPA Online; in addition, here's a graphic that illustrates how risky flying really is in comparison to other activities.

4. The most common near-collision occurs when a plane is about to take off.

Recent weeks have witnessed something worrying at airports across the nation: planes have come dangerously close to each other. Such instances make even frequent fliers nervous before getting aboard their flight.

Note, however, that near-collisions don't constitute crashes and that these events are rare - plane collisions only become possible under extreme conditions with lots of momentum between aircraft moving at high speed; typically occurring when taking off or landing occurs.

As such, it is vitally important for pilots to remain alert and pay attention when flying. Although it might seem counterintuitive, most air collisions are the result of pilots being distracted or not paying attention - the most common distractions include radio interference, miscommunication with other pilots, deviation from flight plans, lack of situational awareness and radio interference from nearby planes. Most near collisions happen at airports due to concentration of aircrafts within such a small space.

Since March 7, planes have come close to colliding at airports in New York, Texas, Boston and Hawaii. A Republic Airways flight at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport crossed a runway without permission, entering into the path of a United Airlines plane which had been approved to takeoff.

Good news is that the FAA is taking this incident seriously and holding an impromptu safety summit this week to review aviation standards and procedures. Even if flying is still terrifying to you, statistics show it to be safer than driving and Popular Mechanics even found that sitting in the back row was in fact the safest spot to sit.

5. The most common near-collision occurs when a plane is about to turn.

Since 2023 began, air travel has been marred by turbulent skies for many travelers. Numerous high-profile "near misses" involving airport landing and takeoff procedures came close to potential disaster.

Though our skies may appear hazardous, flying is actually safest in 1972 based on FAA reports and recent Economist reporting; fatalities have since declined substantially and now represent their lowest rate since over four decades ago.

As soon as you're airborne, it is critical to remain alert for other aircraft. Unfortunately, most pilots tend to focus on their flight ahead with only occasional glances left and right; this can be costly since most near collisions happen when planes turn corners; those not paying close attention may miss warning signals from turning planes.

To avoid such hazards, pilots should always heed TCAS (traffic collision avoidance system) instructions even if they differ with those issued by air traffic control. TCAS provides more up-to-date aircraft positions and can react faster than human brain.

Additionally, those seated at the rear of a plane have an improved chance of survival by nearly 40% compared to those sitting up front due to lower air pressure in the back compared to front, which helps lessen impact upon crash. Unfortunately though, flying in this location may prove slightly uncomfortable at times due to different air pressure differences; although those unfamiliar with rear seating might find flying there somewhat uncomfortable.