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Safety Board Investigates Near Mid-Air Collision

July 23, 2008 4:19 PM

Two planes came dangerously close to colliding in mid-air earlier this week at Chicago's O'Hare airport, the National Transportation Safety Board revealed Wednesday.

The NTSB said today it is investigating what caused one plane to pass just 325 feet above, and slightly behind, another aircraft on Monday.

According to the safety board, a commercial American Eagle plane was departing from the airport as a corporate Learjet LR60 flight was landing. To dodge disaster, an air traffic controller instructed the Learjet to go back around and instructed the American Eagle plan to remain at a low elevation during takeoff.

American Airlines reported the American Eagle flight was en route to Peoria, Ill. carrying 43 passengers and three crew members.

A veteran controller who was handling the departure has been "sent for retraining," according to Elizabeth Corey, a spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration.

The incident in Chicago comes on the heels of two other incidents earlier this month at New York's JFK airport, in which planes also narrowly avoided colliding.

In Chicago, Monday's event has prompted safety officials to enact new procedures so controllers can better manage approaching planes, the NTSB said today.

The NTSB will issue a report on the incident on its Web site later this week.

-ABC News’ Lisa Stark

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