A heart-stopping moment was captured on video as two commercial airliners, one from Delta and another from American Eagle, nearly collided mid-air at Syracuse Hancock International Airport. The incident, which occurred late morning on Monday, July 8, was recorded by a dash camera from a patrol car of the North Syracuse Police Department.
According to reports by CBS News, the near collision resulted from a critical air traffic control error. Initially, controllers cleared American Eagle Flight AA5511, operated by PSA Airlines using a Bombardier CRJ-700, to land on runway 28. However, moments later, Delta Connection Flight DL5421, operated by Endeavor Air also using a CRJ-700, was cleared to depart from the same runway.
The dramatic video footage shows both planes approaching from different directions, dangerously close to each other in the airspace near Syracuse Hancock Airport. Flight tracking data from FlightRadar24 indicated that the planes came within 700-1,000 feet vertically of each other during the incident. Delta’s flight was carrying 76 passengers, while American Eagle’s flight had 75 passengers. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported among the passengers on board either aircraft.
In response to inquiries, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stated to NewsChannel 9 that the air traffic controller directed American Eagle Flight 5511 to perform a go-around maneuver to ensure safe separation from the departing aircraft.
Despite the alarming incident, operations at Syracuse Hancock International Airport continued without disruption, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the airport.
The FAA has initiated an investigation into the incident to determine the cause of the error and to implement enhanced safety measures going forward. Both Endeavor Air and Delta have expressed their commitment to cooperating fully with aviation authorities in prioritizing safety above all else.
Sources By Agencies
