Small plane narrowly avoids collision with passenger jet l GMA

ABC News shares exclusive video of the near miss that took place above Orlando International Airport in August.

SUBSCRIBE to GMA's YouTube page:

SIGN UP to get the daily GMA Wake-Up Newsletter:

VISIT GMA's homepage:

FOLLOW GMA:

#GMA #Flying #MCO #Orlando

[femmec]

That is way too close for two planes to be. So glad the pilots were aware of what was going on.

[bravo_]

Working as an air traffic controller is one of the world’s most toughest jobs

[kimbershaw]

Wow, that is too close for comfort. Good on the pilots

[boyo]

VASAviation posted this yesterday. ATC did direct the pilot to turn to 090 and climb to 2000 upon takeoff...just shows how underfunded and stressed our ATC friends are and that we're only human at the end of the day. Thankfully no one was hurt this time and we can learn from this incident.

[eldermcnamara]

Wow reminds me of the aero Mexico flight in Los Angeles back in 1986 when a small plane collided with the jet mid air and caused 86 casualties on the plane which everyone died and 15 others on the ground ….

[jessw]

air traffic controls fault unless the pilots werent where they were told to be

[dontbanmebrodontbanme]

It would seem air traffic control messed up here. They gave both the Cessna and the 757 directions and they followed them. As someone who flies small aircraft, however, I have always said I wouldn't be interested in flying at class B airports, unless I had a capable plane (I.e., a jet or a very fast turboprop). These are airports that the commercial airlines use and it takes extra work for ATC to fit in something like a slow Cessna 172. I want to know what kind of Cessna he was flying. Was it something like a 172, 177 or 182 (I.e., super slow plants), or a Cessna 441 (a faster twin engine turboprop).

But with all of that said, it doesn't matter. ATC screwed up here and the proof is in the pudding! The only argument ATC can make is that one of the two pilots didn't follow their directions correctly, but that will be easy to verify by simply listening to the replay of events.

[bricktam]

When I've flown, I've seen planes close like this and didn't think much of it. Now, it scares me.

[kathleenardrey]

Incredible aversion actions by the pilots! Good work, everyone. Thank you for being pilots. peace.

[Brad]

They had him crossing at midfield perpendicular which is ideal and safe. He zooms in to make it look closer and get on TV. Nice.

[DaneReidVoiceOver]

Somebody messed up big time in the tower. Thank goodness the cesna pilot used visuals to confirm.

[JETZcorp]

As a private pilot, being at low altitude and lined up with the runways of a major international airport is about the last place on the planet I want to be. I don't know the full context here; obviously Orlando is Class B airspace so someone will have told him to go where he was. But whenever I fly around the Int'l in my area, I'm on the published VFR transition route that keeps me away from the heavies. One of those routes does take you directly over the top of the airport. That's fine; unless they launch a Space Shuttle you can't get hurt flying directly over the terminals. Off to the side is like staring down the cannon barrels of a battleship.

[WinstonSmith]

When they say to transit in airport you’re supposed to fly over the middle not over the end of the runway.

[daleyoung]

Small planes rarely have any business at big commercial airports. Personally, I try to avoid them, opting for Delta-class airports or smaller.

[emilecossette]

My biggest fear! Especially flying in clouds when visibility is nil.

[robertjensen]

In 1978 a 727 and a Cessna collided in mid-air over San Diego, and everyone on both planes died, as well as over a dozen people on the ground.
In 1986 a DC-9 and a Piper Cherokee civilian aircraft collided in mid-air over Cerritos, CA(near LA), and everyone on both planes died.
These type of collisions do occur, but they are incredibly rare as well.

[TheMilitarymight]

Good pilots, excellent aviation awareness. Kudos

[mclaine]

They were closer than they should have been yes, but this wasn’t a “near miss”. It wasn’t like the pilot had to do some evasive maneuver to avoid hitting the other plane. There was 500 feet apart not 5 feet apart…. Big difference.

[yasnielchristfollower]

Thank Christ a mid-air collision was averted!

[jamesm]

Two pilots saw each other and got out of each other's way as that's the way it's supposed to work.