Aug 12 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Saturday it is investigating a near collision between a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 and a Cessna Citation business jet in San Diego, the latest in a series of troubling U.S. aviation incidents.
The FAA said its preliminary review shows an air traffic controller on Friday had cleared the Citation to land on the same runway at San Diego International Airport that it had instructed Southwest Airlines Flight 2493 to taxi onto. The facility’s automated surface surveillance system alerted the controller about the developing situation and the controller directed the Cessna to discontinue landing.
A person briefed on the matter said the initial review shows the Cessna passed over the top of the Southwest airplane by about 100 feet. The FAA is sending a team to the facility to investigate. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
