Council Urges Study of Aircraft Safety

Citing a series of recent accidents, the Los Angeles City Council voted Wednesday to ask for a review of aircraft safety in the skies over the San Fernando Valley.

Councilman Alex Padilla wrote the motion, which asks the city airports department to meet with Federal Aviation Administration officials and the operators of Burbank Airport to determine if there are policy changes or other actions that can improve safety.

Padilla cited recent accidents, including a collision between two small planes over Sylmar last month that killed four people, and a Southwest Airlines jet that skidded off the runway at Burbank Airport this month.

Recent incidents, Padilla said, “called to our attention the dangers and hazards of air flights in air space not only over the San Fernando Valley but also throughout the Los Angeles area.”