Swiss and Dutch planes came as close as 15 seconds to colliding over France on Wednesday, airline officials say.
The two flights were reportedly within 300m of the other when pilots and onboard warning systems averted a crash over the northern city of Rheims.
Rheims air traffic controllers were in charge of the planes, which were flying at a reported 9,500m.
France has launched an inquiry to find out if human error or technical failure was to blame.
A French aviation spokeswoman said the near-miss was not related to the three-day strike by Paris air traffic controllers – which has just ended.
‘Intervention needed’
The incident occurred at 0645GMT.
The Swiss International Air Lines flight was carrying 137 passengers and 11 crew from Zurich to New York.
Seventy five passengers and five crew members were aboard the KLM flight from Geneva to Amsterdam, a KLM spokesman said.
“The autopilot indicated that intervention was needed and at the same time the KLM pilot saw the Swiss plane and made a sharp left turn and averted a collision.”
“They were about 300m apart,” he said.
A spokeswoman for France’s civil aviation authority (DGAC), said the planes came within 15 to 35 seconds of colliding.
Previous incidents
In 2002, there were 59 near-misses in French air space, but the collision-avoidance systems prevented crashes, said the DGAC spokeswoman.
The same year 71 people died in a mid-air collision between a Russian airliner and a cargo plane over southern Germany.
By: Bhoy - 23rd February 2004 at 15:33
LX flight to JFK would be an A330-200, and I’d guess that a KLM flight from GVA would be a 737 of some description or another…
I’m told it was actually LX17, JFK-ZRH, operated on the day by A330-200 HB-IQI.
By: Dutchy - 21st February 2004 at 07:18
Originally posted by Jeanske_SN
a near miss doesnt mean they collided! wlel, if you translate it litteraly in dutch yes, but dont!:D
This was from a comedian who was realy picky in the english language. Realy funny though. I think the link must be somewhere on the General forum. Happy hunting it was someting like 9 months ago 😀 .
By: atc pal - 20th February 2004 at 22:47
The Russian Tu-154 was from “Bashkirian”.
The Airguide controller was actually an expatriate Dane. (I don’t know him)
By: andrewm - 20th February 2004 at 13:01
airline wasnt me twas BBC
By: Bhoy - 20th February 2004 at 12:53
DHL 757F and TU154. can’t remember what airline that was.
It was Swiss ATC’s fault, though…
By: Airline owner - 20th February 2004 at 08:33
off the topic but what airlines were involved in the Russian air crash that andrew mn describes at the end.
By: atc pal - 20th February 2004 at 07:40
Swiss’s press release was entirely correct. That some journalists “doctored” it, is what you’d expect.
But really this is an everyday event – and what TCAS is there for.
By: Bhoy - 20th February 2004 at 03:59
LX flight to JFK would be an A330-200, and I’d guess that a KLM flight from GVA would be a 737 of some description or another…
By: steve rowell - 19th February 2004 at 23:45
Do we know what sort of aircraft were involved
By: tenthije - 19th February 2004 at 20:55
my previous source was not DSML but a.net!
Anyway, check the press release by Swiss:
Swiss press release
http://www.swiss.com/web/IE6/about-swiss/sw-nw-pr-press-releases-04.htm?newsid=37655
…the onboard warning system (TCAS, traffic alert and collision avoidance system) indicated the proximity of another aircraft. The SWISS crew followed the system’s instructions and put distance between the two aircraft….
case closed! 😉
By: atc pal - 19th February 2004 at 20:47
Autopilot? Like the one in “Airplane”? :p
TCAS works with climbs or descents – not turns.
The 300 meters and 15 -35 seconds, as you say, don’t really fit together.
Best regards
By: tenthije - 19th February 2004 at 20:36
According to the Dutch Spotters Mailing List it was the TCAS instructing the KLM pilot to take evasive actions.
By: Jeanske_SN - 19th February 2004 at 19:09
a near miss doesnt mean they collided! wlel, if you translate it litteraly in dutch yes, but dont!:D
By: frankvw - 19th February 2004 at 18:15
I don’t want to change the subject, but this is rather a near hit…
If they nearly missed, they would have collided 😉
(Just picking on the english language there )
And… 15 to 35 seconds seem plenty for 300 metres.
By: Hand87_5 - 19th February 2004 at 18:14
Yep , scary isn’t it. This was a close call. I suspect thatthis king of incident occurs every day , but maybe not that close 🙁
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February 19, 2004 at 6:10 pm