Two American Airlines 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 using the same flight number, American 2482, and acted quickly to keep them separated.
- One aircraft was arriving from Chicago while the other had just departed Phoenix, creating a brief overlap in the same airspace.
- The controller clarified his instructions by repeatedly referring to the planes as the arrival and the departure to avoid confusion.
- The FAA and American Airlines said they would investigate how the duplicate flight number situation occurred.
- American Airlines said required separation was maintained and both flights continued safely without incident.
A potentially dangerous situation was avoided Friday night in Phoenix after an air traffic controller realized that two American Airlines aircraft were flying under the same flight number, American 2482. One plane was arriving from Chicago while the other had departed Phoenix, briefly putting both in the same airspace.
Audio of the exchange shows the controller quickly simplifying his instructions by identifying the planes as the arrival and the departure. He also made sure the arriving aircraft stayed above the departing one and kept the pilots aware of each other’s positions while the flights converged.
The arriving pilot later complimented the controller on his handling of the situation. The controller said it could have been disastrous, but the outcome was safe because the instructions were clear and the planes remained separated.
American Airlines said the required separation was maintained throughout and that both flights continued without incident. The FAA and the airline said they will investigate how the duplicate flight number came to be used on the two flights. This is mainly an aviation safety matter, with no clear direct market impact.
两架使用同一航班号的美国航空客机在空管员迅速处置下避免险情
周五夜间，凤凰城上空一度出现潜在险情：一名空中交通管制员发现两架美国航空客机竟使用了同一个航班号 American 2482。其时，一架飞机从芝加哥进港，另一架刚从凤凰城起飞，两机在同一空域短暂接近。
通话录音显示，管制员迅速把两架飞机区分为“进港航班”和“起飞航班”，以避免指令混淆。他同时确保进港飞机保持在起飞飞机之上，并在两条航迹接近时让机组彼此保持可见。
进港航班的飞行员随后对管制员的处置表示称赞。管制员则表示，这种情况本可能很危险，但由于指令清晰且两机始终保持间隔，最终没有发生事故。
美国航空表示，所需间隔在整个过程中都得到维持，两趟航班均安全继续飞行、未发生事故。美国联邦航空管理局和美国航空都表示，将调查为何会出现两架飞机共用同一航班号的情况。此事主要属于航空安全事件，对市场没有明确的直接影响。