Plane bound for Lexington nearly collides with another flight. Pilots take ‘evasive action.’
A Lexington-bound flight had to take “evasive action” to avoid a midair collision with another airplane Sunday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Allegiant Air flight 485, headed to Blue Grass Airport from Fort Lauderdale International Airport in Florida, departed at approximately 1:28 p.m., according to data from FlightAware, an online flight tracker. Not long after takeoff, an air traffic controller in the Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center instructed flight 485 to turn eastbound at 23,000 feet when it crossed in front of a Gulfstream business jet, the FAA said.
The pilots on both planes received automatic alerts of another aircraft at the same altitude, according to the FAA. Both pilots took evasive action to avoid a midair collision.
Flight 485 returned to the Fort Lauderdale airport after the near collision, according to FAA.
A flight attendant was treated for injuries upon the plane’s return to the airport, the FAA said. The incident is being investigated by the FAA.
The flight returned to Lexington later in the evening, according to FlightAware’s online tracking.
