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Friday, March 02, 2012

Jeep On Runway in Philly Causes Controllers to Scramble

(CNN) -- A passenger jet was just seconds away from landing Thursday at Philadelphia International Airport when a Jeep broke through a chain-link fence and drove onto several runways, forcing a number of planes to circle the area, according to an air traffic controller familiar with the incident.

Don Chapman, local president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, did not witness the incident, but told CNN some of his members did.

Chapman said he was told an air traffic controller using radar spotted something on the runway, but couldn't see exactly what it was because of foggy conditions.

"When they spotted the Jeep there was a US Airways Express plane 100 feet above the ground. It was 10-15 seconds (from) touchdown, about a quarter mile from the end of the runway," Chapman told CNN. "They saw it on the AMAS system radar system that they use to look at runways and taxiways and see if there is anything there."

He said the controllers ordered the approaching plane not to land.

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