(비행) 일촉즉발, 두 비행기 충돌
(비행) 일촉즉발, 두 비행기 충돌
And still ahead on World News, desperate times, desperate measures. Taxing everything from car repairs to haircuts. We’re going to tell you what’s happening across America. And tonight, we get an iPad. It is no longer a secret. To answer the question, is it going to change our lives? This is ABC World News with Diane Sawyer brought to you by Purina.
And now that heart stopping close call this past weekend in the sky just above the airport in San Francisco. A United Airlines flight with 268 people onboard had barely taken off what it seemed to be on a collision course with another plane. Lisa Stark has the audio tape with the controllers. The near disaster happened just after a United Airlines jumbo jet bound for China took off from San Francisco airport.
The air traffic controller realizes the jet and a small Cessna are heading toward each other. He orders the Cessna pilot to pass behind the United plane. “7-0 echo maintain zero separation….pass behind that aircraft.” “7-0 will pass behind him.” But the planes are still getting closer. The controller orders United flight 889 to move, too. “889 start heading to your right…. Maintain visible separation.” At their closest, the Cessna is just 300 feet above and 1500 feet away from the United plane. The required distance is 500 feet above and nearly 8000 feet away.
In the cockpit of the jumbo jet, a collision warning system called TCAS sounds an alarm. “Descend. Descend now. OK that set off the TCAS…..” The United pilot, a woman, is clearly concerned. “We need to talk. Roger.” A federal safety investigation is under way. Lisa Stark, ABC News, Washington.
And at baseball spring training in Tampa today, a batter swinging for defenses hit something else, his mother. During exhibition game against the Yankees, Denard Span of Minnesota Twins hit a hard foul ball striking his mother in the chest, as she was standing in the stands cheering him on. He rushed to her to make sure she was okay, then returning to the game. He struck out. She was fine, but one more test of mother’s love.