American Airlines gave two Phoenix flights the exact same call sign. Then they barely avoided a collision over Arizona

Two American Airlines planes came close to colliding in the sky over Phoenix, Arizona, after a mistake gave both aircraft the same flight number. The error involved two planes flying the same route between Phoenix and Chicago.

Both planes were given the call sign AA2482. This meant air traffic control was sending the same flight instructions to both aircraft at once, since they shared an identical identifier.

According to the Daily Mail, an air traffic controller noticed the problem in time and acted quickly to keep the two planes apart. Both flights landed safely, and American Airlines said no one was harmed.

Air traffic controller acted after spotting the Chicago-bound plane climbing toward the other aircraft

The route between Phoenix and Chicago is normally flown by a single plane that goes back and forth between the two cities. On Friday, a delay led American Airlines to add a second plane to help get the schedule back on track. That second plane was also given the call sign AA2482.

The controller noticed the danger when the plane heading to Chicago started climbing toward the plane heading to Phoenix. He told the pilots to hold different altitudes so the two aircraft would stay safely apart. “I’ve been working air traffic for 25 years. I’ve never seen two aircraft pretty much merge with the same call sign,” the controller said. “That’s pretty incredible.”

Audio from the exchange, shared by ATC.com, captured the moment the controller explained the situation to the pilots. He told one pilot, “[There’s] traffic [at] one o’clock and 10 miles, it’s your company, same call sign.” He then began referring to “American 2482 on the arrival” and “American 2482 on the departure” to keep the two flights separate in his instructions.

One pilot responded, “Incredible. We’re looking, thank you. In sight, actually.” After the planes passed each other safely, the same pilot praised the controller’s “nice work.” The controller replied, “It could have been disastrous, but I’m glad it worked out.”

Steve Arroyo, an aviation safety expert, told the Associated Press that the mistake likely started in American Airlines’ dispatch center. He said a staff member there probably did not realize that two planes with the same flight number would be in the air at the same time.

Arroyo, who spent four decades at United Airlines and began his career as a dispatcher before becoming a pilot, said he has only seen this type of problem happen a couple of times. “You can drop the ball and that shouldn’t happen, but it’s nice to see that the system is resilient and we have all the safeguards,” he said.

The Federal Aviation Administration and American Airlines are both investigating how the mistake happened. Both organizations said they were relieved that everyone stayed safe. This is not the first time an American Airlines flight has drawn attention for a mid-flight scare that alarmed passengers, after a passenger said they were told the aircraft was running low on fuel shortly before landing. 

American Airlines said in a statement, “The diligence and professionalism of air traffic controllers and our pilots ensured required separation was always maintained and the issue was identified and addressed. Both flights continued safely and without incident.” In another case, the airline faced criticism over a last-minute flight cancellation announcement after passengers were asked to leave a fully boarded plane.