2 planes with the same flight number avoid possible disaster thanks to quick-thinking controller
- A Phoenix air traffic controller noticed that two American Airlines jets were operating with the same flight number, American 2482, and acted quickly to keep them apart.
- One aircraft was arriving from Chicago while the other had just departed Phoenix, causing their flight paths to converge briefly.
- The controller clarified instructions by referring to the aircraft as the arrival and the departure, and he kept the arriving plane above the departing one.
- The Federal Aviation Administration and American Airlines said they would investigate how the duplicate flight-number situation occurred.
- American Airlines said the controller and pilots maintained required separation and that both flights continued safely without incident.
A potential disaster was avoided Friday near Phoenix after an air traffic controller noticed that two American Airlines jets were operating under the same flight number, American 2482. One plane was arriving from Chicago while another had departed Phoenix, creating a brief situation in which their routes converged.
Audio from the incident shows the controller quickly distinguishing between “American 2482 on the arrival” and “American 2482 on the departure” to avoid confusion. He kept the arriving aircraft safely above the departing plane and ensured both crews could see each other while still miles apart.
The controller later said he had never seen two aircraft “pretty much merge with the same call sign.” The arriving pilot praised the controller’s “nice work” after the two planes passed safely.
American Airlines said the pilots and controller maintained required separation and that both flights continued safely. The FAA and the airline said they will investigate how the duplicate flight number situation happened.
两架使用相同航班号的飞机在空管快速反应下避免潜在险情
周五在凤凰城附近，一名空中交通管制员发现两架美国航空客机误用同一个航班号 American 2482，及时处置，避免了潜在险情。其中一架从芝加哥飞来，另一架则从凤凰城起飞，航线在短时间内接近。
相关录音显示，管制员迅速用“到达航班”和“起飞航班”来区分两架飞机，以免指令混淆。他让到达飞机保持在起飞飞机上方，并确保两机在仍相距数英里时就能互相看见。
该管制员事后表示，自己从未见过两架飞机“几乎以相同呼号合并”的情况。到达航班飞行员在两机安全交会后，称赞了管制员的“出色工作”。
美国航空表示，飞行员和管制员始终保持了规定间隔，两架航班都安全继续飞行。美国联邦航空管理局和美国航空称，将调查这一重复航班号是如何发生的。