Video: Near-collision reported on Sea-Tac runway

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SeaTac, Wash. –  Two planes came perilously close to colliding at Sea-Tac Airport earlier this month, the National Transportation Safety Board reports.

Airtran flight 227, a Boeing 737, had just landed at Sea-Tac from Baltimore at the same time Northwest flight 106, an Airbus A332, was departing for London.

Safety board investigators say the Airtran flight was supposed to hold its place and let the Northwest plane take off. Instead, the board says without clearance, the Airtran jet crossed in front of the London-bound plane as it was rolling down runway 34.

The Northwest plane was able to pull up in time, passing over the Airtran plane by just 400 feet.

"It's a different level because of the closeness of the near collision," said Dr. Todd Curtis, director of Airsafe.com. "It may seem to be a great distance 400 feet away from impacting. But it should have been a lot further than that."

The incident is called a runway incursion. Incursions have dropped 40 percent since 2001.

KING

Sea-Tac Airport

Still, at least 31 close calls have been recorded since 2006.

The question for investigators is just what happened at Sea-Tac. Did the Airtran flight crew miss the orders from the control tower? Did the Northwest plane roll too early?

It could be several months before investigators know what happened.

"This is a wake-up call," Curtis said.