Wings overlap in jet's near-miss

THE WING of a passenger jet preparing for take-off passed over the wing of a light aircraft coming in to land after a muddle over take- off instructions, the Air Accident Investigation Branch reported yesterday.

Prompt action by an air traffic controller "prevented a more serious incident" at Birmingham airport, the report added. So close did the aircraft come that the captain of the jet asked the controller: "Did we hit him?" and was told: "Negative". The incident on 29 April involved a Dublin-bound Aer Lingus BAe 146 carrying 99 passengers and six crew, and a Piper PA-38 crewed by an instructor and student. The report said procedures had been changed to prevent a recurrence.