California IN BRIEF : IRVINE : Near-Collision at John Wayne Airport

An Alaska Airlines jetliner and a small plane came within 100 feet of colliding as both approached John Wayne Airport last week, the Federal Aviation Administration said. The 100-foot estimate, made by pilots of both planes, conflicted with the estimate of the air traffic controller working in the Orange County airport tower. The controller initially reported last week that the planes were half a mile apart at the closest, FAA spokeswoman Elly Brekke said. But FAA radar tapes confirm the pilots’ accounts. Alaska Airlines Flight 240 was arriving from Seattle with 40 passengers. The small plane had two passengers, a pilot and a co-pilot. The speeds of the planes have not been determined. The airliner was descending onto the path of the smaller aircraft at the time. The Alaska Airlines pilot estimated they were 100 feet apart horizontally and 100 feet apart vertically. Both planes turned to avoid a collision. Four witnesses said the planes would have collided over Interstate 405, the busiest freeway in Orange County.