San Francisco Flight Narrowly Avoids Collision at Phoenix Airport; FAA Launches Investigation
Jan. 14—The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a near-miss between two commercial flights at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport on Saturday involving a United Airlines flight from San Francisco and a Delta Air Lines flight from Detroit.
Both aircraft were inbound to the airport when a loss of separation occurred during their approach for landing.
United Airlines Flight UA1724, a Boeing 737-900, was arriving from San Francisco International Airport with 123 passengers aboard. Simultaneously, Delta Flight DL1070, an Airbus A330-300, was approaching from Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
According to the FAA, as the two planes prepared to land on Runway 8, their proximity triggered the Traffic Collision Avoidance System on both aircraft. This automated system alerts pilots to potential collision risks.
At approximately 11 a.m., the cockpit alarms prompted air traffic controllers to issue immediate instructions to ensure the aircraft maintained a safe distance from each other.
The flight crews followed the guidance and performed holding maneuvers — essentially flying in circles — until they were cleared to safely resume their approaches and land without further incident.
"While United Flight 1724 was preparing to land at Phoenix on Saturday, its pilots received an automated flight deck warning to change their altitude," United Airlines said in a statement. "The pilots acted immediately and landed safely. We're working with the FAA on its investigation."
Delta Air Lines said that its pilots are extensively trained to manage such situations.
"As nothing is more important than safety, Delta flight crews extensively train to handle uncommon scenarios like this one," the airline said in a statement.
The FAA's investigation is ongoing.
Reach Aidin Vaziri: [email protected]
___
(c)2025 the San Francisco Chronicle
Visit the San Francisco Chronicle at www.sfchronicle.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
