Alaska Airlines Pilot Aborts Landing
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COSTA MESA — An Alaska Airlines plane aborted a landing at John Wayne Airport after it was gaining too quickly on a private plane ahead of it, authorities said.
No injuries were reported in the 6:08 p.m. incident, said FAA spokeswoman Elly Brekke in Los Angeles.
Alaska Airlines Flight 240, with 40 people aboard, was approaching for a landing when an air traffic controller noticed that it was gaining quickly on a Piper Navajo turbo-prop ahead of it. The private jet was told to “go around,” meaning it should not land, but circle the airport to try a second time.
The Alaska airliner was then cleared for a landing, but its pilot, whose name was not available, decided to abort the landing.
The closest the two planes came was about half a mile, Brekke said.
The FAA is investigating.
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