1987 NEAR MID-AIR COLLISION REPORTS IN THE COUNTY

The Federal Aviation Administration received 27 pilot reports of aircraft near collisions in Orange County skies during 1987. That figure has increased locally in recent years, from 11 in 1985 and 16 in 1986.

Near-collision reports are filed by pilots who believe another plane has flown too closely to theirs--generally less than 500 feet vertically and 1.5 miles horizontally.

After an FAA investigation, such incidents are evaluated and classified according to their seriousness as follows:

Critical--only chance prevented a collision; time did not allow either pilot to take evasive action.

Potential--one or both pilots probably could have acted to prevent a collision.

No hazard--a collision was unlikely.

Unrated--the incident has not been evaluated.

Monthly Month Critical Potential No Hazard Unrated Total January 1 1 0 0 2 February 0 4 2 0 6 March 0 0 0 0 0 April 0 2 0 0 2 May 0 0 0 0 0 June 0 0 1 0 1 July 0 1 1 0 2 August 0 1 0 0 1 September 1 2 0 0 3 October 0 1 1 1 3 November 0 0 0 1 1 December 0 1 0 5 6 Annual Total 2 13 5 7 27

Source: Federal Aviation Administration