SARASOTA, Fla. — The National Transportation Safety Board issued its preliminary report for the ongoing investigation into two planes almost crashing at the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport back in February.
On Feb. 16, two planes had a near miss when one was cleared for takeoff on the same runway another plane was cleared to land on.
An Air Canada flight to Toronto was cleared for takeoff on SRQ's Runway 14 as an American Airlines flight from Charlotte was cleared to land on the same runway, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
The American Airlines flight was about 10 miles north of the airport when it was cleared to land on the runway. It wasn't until the incoming plane was about three miles away that the Air Canada plane was cleared to depart.
Around 13 seconds later, when the American Airlines flight was around 2.5 miles away, the local controller issued a traffic advisory informing the incoming plane that the other was departing on Runway 14.
Eventually, as the incoming and departing planes continued in its path, the American Airlines flight informed the controller they were executing a pilot-initiated go-around. This meant the plane began to climb again, avoiding a collision.
The estimated closest proximity between the two planes was 0.6 miles horizontally and at the same altitude. The Air Canada flight was departing the runway and climbing 100 feet while the American Airline flight was about 100 feet and crossing over the runway numbers.
No injuries or damages were reported.
"Pilot statements have been received from American Airlines and Air Canada, and follow-on flight crew interviews are being considered," the agency explains in the preliminary information.
The planes were reportedly about 3,100 feet apart when the American Airlines flight began to climb.
10 Tampa Bay's Andrea Chu contributed to this report.
