NTSB -- NTSB INVESTIGATING NEAR MIDAIR COLLISION OF US AIRWAYS A319 AND CARGOLUX AIRLINES INTERNATIONAL 747 IN ALASKA

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NTSB ADVISORY

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National Transportation Safety Board

Washington, DC 20594

May 28, 2010

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NTSB INVESTIGATING NEAR MIDAIR COLLISION OF US AIRWAYS A319

AND CARGOLUX AIRLINES INTERNATIONAL 747 IN ALASKA

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The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an

investigation into the near midair collision of a passenger

jetliner and a cargo jumbo jet.

On May 21, 2010, at about 12:10 a.m. Alaska Daylight Savings

Time, an Airbus A319, operating as US Airways flight 140,

and a Boeing 747-400, operating as Cargolux Airlines

International flight 658, came within an estimated 100 feet

vertically and a .33 mile lateral separation as the B747 was

departing Anchorage International Airport (ANC) and the A319

was executing go-around procedures at ANC.

The A319, with 138 passengers and crew aboard, was inbound

from Phoenix (PHX) to runway 14 and the B747, with a crew of

2, was departing Anchorage en route to Chicago (ORD) on

runway 25R. The incident occurred in night visual

meteorological conditions with 10 miles of visibility.

According to the TCAS report from the A319 crew, that

aircraft was approaching ANC when, because of the effects of

tailwinds on the aircraft's approach path, the crew

initiated a missed approach and requested new instructions

from air traffic control. The tower controller instructed

the A319 to turn right heading 300 and report the departing

B747 in sight. After the A319 crew reported the B747 in

sight, the controller instructed the A319 to maintain visual

separation from the B747, climb to 3000 feet, and turn right

heading 320. The A319 crew refused the right turn because

the turn would have put their flight in direct conflict with

the B747. The A319 crew then received a resolution advisory

to "monitor vertical speed" and the crew complied with the

descent command. During the descent, the A319 crew lost

sight of the B747. At about 1700 feet above ground level,

the A319 crew received a "clear of conflict" aural command.

There were no reported injuries or damage to either

aircraft.

NTSB investigator Dan Bartlett, an air traffic control

specialist based in Washington, will be traveling to

Anchorage to begin the investigation.

A preliminary report of the incident will be available on

the Board's website within 10 business days.

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Media contact:

Bridget Ann Serchak

202.314.6100

bridget.serchak@xxxxxxxx

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