Incident Overview
On Thursday, April 24, 2014, about 1503 eastern daylight time, a near midair collision occurred at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in Newark, New Jersey. The incident involved ExpressJet flight 4100 (ASQ4100), an Embraer ERJ145 departing runway 4R for Memphis, Tennessee, and United Airlines flight 1243 (UAL1243), a Boeing 737-800 arriving from San Francisco, California, intending to land on runway 29. Both aircraft were operating regularly scheduled 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 passenger flights and were under the control of the EWR airport traffic control tower (ATCT). There were no reports of damage to either aircraft or injuries to passengers or crew.
Sequence of Events
At 1457:15, the pilot of UAL1243 contacted EWR ATCT, reporting that the flight was on the Bridge visual approach to runway 29. The local controller informed the pilot that he was following Delta Airlines flight 1942 (DAL1942), a Boeing 717, and cleared UAL1243 to land on runway 29.
About 1459, the local controller requested DAL1942 to shorten its approach to runway 29 and subsequently instructed UAL1243 to fly a normal to slightly wider procedure because the controller was "starting to bunch up with the 717." Both pilots acknowledged.
According to the local controller, to create space for departures off runway 4R, he adjusted the pattern for each arrival to build a departure gap. Some arrivals made a short approach to runway 29, while others made a wider approach to allow an extra mile of spacing.
At 1500:22, the local controller instructed ASQ4100 to line up and wait on runway 4R. Twenty seconds later, the controller advised the pilot of UAL1243 to turn back toward final. The pilots acknowledged.
At 1501:20, the local controller informed the pilot of ASQ4100 to "be ready in about 20 seconds, up on the power." Radar data showed DAL1942 approximately 1.2 miles from the threshold of runway 29, and UAL1243 approximately 3.5 miles east-southeast of the airport, flying a modified Bridge visual approach.
At 1501:44, the local controller cleared ASQ4100 for takeoff from runway 4R. Radar data indicated DAL1942 was about 0.35 mile from the runway 29 threshold, and UAL1243 was about 3.1 miles from the threshold.
At 1502:40, the local controller directed UAL1243 to "go around" and informed the pilot that departing traffic was to his left. The pilot acknowledged and began executing a missed approach. Radar data showed UAL1243 approximately 0.85 mile from the threshold of runway 29 at an altitude of 200 feet when the go-around instruction was issued.
At 1502:49, the local controller advised the pilot of ASQ4100, "traffic off your right, do you have him in sight, maintain visual." Six seconds later, the pilot responded, "yeah, we put the nose down, yeah he was real close." After ASQ4100 crossed under UAL1243, the controller instructed the pilot to resume the standard instrument departure procedure and contact departure. The pilot responded, "contact departure, yeah, he was real close sir."
The local controller issued UAL1243 the missed approach instructions for runway 29 and instructed the pilot to contact departure control. The remainder of the flight was uneventful, and UAL1243 landed on runway 29 about 1514.
Radar data indicated the closest lateral and vertical proximity between the two aircraft was approximately 0.03 mile and 400 feet.
Aftermath
For further information, see the air traffic control group chairman's report in the docket for this case.