TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Frontier pilot on a Cleveland to Fort Myers flight had to quickly ascend hundreds of feet into the air to avoid another plane on the same runway.
According to FlightAware, Frontier flight 3796 approached the runway at Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) and suddenly looped around. The flight tracking website showed the plane climbed from 200 to 2,200 feet in about a minute.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that the pilot performed a “go around” around noon on Tuesday “because another aircraft was departing from the same runway.” A spokesperson said “safe separation was maintained” between the aircraft.
According to the FAA, a “go-around” is a safe, routine procedure performed at the discretion of a pilot or an air traffic controller. “To an airline passenger, the event may seem like an emergency maneuver. However, the controller and pilot are working together to prevent an unsafe condition from occurring.”
John Cunniff, a passenger on the flight, told WINK that it seemed like a normal flight until the very last minute.
“The flight was a little bumpy in spots but not out of the ordinary,” Cunniff said. “The very last minute that the pilot applied power and started to climb, and it took a moment to realize we had to change from landing to going around again.”
“Our pilot handled it really well. You know, she obviously got the plane to a safe place and got us back down on the ground just fine.”
Cunniff told WINK that he hasn’t developed a fear of flying but he does have some questions.
“I’d like to know how it happened, and who messed up. That seems like that shouldn’t happen at all. That shouldn’t even come close to happening,” Cunniff said.
