A close call between a United Airlines flight passing San Francisco International Airport and a Cessna 182 over the weekend has the aviation world busy try to figure out what happen that allowed the 2 airplanes to get so close. According to the pilots, the airplane came in an estimated 300 feet of all other. Both aircraft were communicate with the control tower at the time.


The National Transport Safety Board has released the audio from the control tower that include the message between the tower, the United 777 bound for Beijing and the Cessna. The NTSB is investigating the incident and said in a report it is taking "strong events to make sure something like does not occur in the future."

It is schedule and legal for small aircraft to fly near big airports such as San Francisco International. A lot of large airports, including Los Angeles International, have published routes known as a VFR corridors that permit smaller aircraft to carefully navigate through the busy airspace.

Aviation authority and veteran flight coach Max Trescott does a great job of explaining the occurrence with an analysis of the airspace policy surrounding the area. As Trescott explain, the organizer was in contact with both airplanes, but it is unclear whether or not the commands were given in a timely enough manner.

It appear the pilots of the United briefly level off their departure behind their onboard traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) alert them to the Cessna’s location. In the audio, the controller can be heard handing off the United flight to the next air traffic controller, representing nothing unusual had occurred. The United pilot replies that the incident had set off the TCAS and follow up with, "we need to talk," representing something more serious had occurred.

The NTSB will possible take more than a few months to look into the incident before releasing a final statement.