“Flowed right into us!” FAA is investigating another near miss at ABIA

An American Airlines Boeing 737 carrying 122 passengers and six crew narrowly avoided crashing into a Cessna 182 as it approached Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Wednesday.

In air traffic control audio recordings obtained by CBS Austin, you can hear air traffic controllers asking, “Did you ever see (the Cessna) the second time?”

The American Airlines pilot replied, “We saw them shining at us and flying right into us!”

The two planes came within an estimated 350 feet of each other, less than the length of a football field.

According to the FAA, the Cessna unexpectedly entered the path of the American Airlines flight.

“(Cessna) immediately flew south and I tried to get you out of the way. “I’m sorry,” air traffic control said. “If you want to report a near miss, let us know.”

American Airlines pilots received a warning from their Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) and took action.

“What really saved the day wasn’t luck,” said aviation expert Ian Petchenik, “it was a system that was developed and refined over many years.”

The maneuver of the American Airlines plane then brought them too close to a small private jet.

Air traffic controllers had to immediately order the jet to change course to avoid another possible collision.

“I think this is an example of aviation professionals doing what they do well, responding to problems as they arise and then trying to keep everyone safe,” Petchenik added.

This incident mirrors a previous incident at ABIA last February, when a FedEx plane nearly collided with a Southwest plane on the runway.

FedEx pilots had to perform a “go-around” maneuver to avoid a collision, getting within 150 feet of the other plane.

Therefore, ABIA received an advanced air traffic control tower simulator system back in January to address safety issues.

But Austin-area Congressman Lloyd Doggett said that wasn't enough: “This simulator, which we didn't think was important for training people, wasn't operational for months.”

CBS Austin spoke with Doggett about Wednesday's near-collision; He said enough is enough: “Let us not suffer a loss of life until the FAA does its job.”

He said Austin air traffic control is in the midst of a staffing crisis.

Doggett said ABIA will only have 29 air traffic controllers by the end of the year. This is below the national average for air traffic controllers per airport.

“We have always needed qualified people to operate the equipment and provide them with the tools they need to do their job,” he said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it was investigating the incident, but aviation experts like Petchenik said that given the number of close calls at ABIA, they wouldn't be surprised if the Nations Transportation Safety Board got involved.

“If it's something that they see as part of a pattern, they'll certainly investigate it,” Petchenik said.

The FAA said all flights involved in Wednesday's incident landed safely.

In a statement to CBS Austin, American Airlines said in part: “We thank our crew members for their professionalism and expertise and for always prioritizing safety above all else.”