Air Traffic Control ... aux USA

Un reportage de CBS4 sur les conséquences du sous-effectif à la FAA ...

Vidéo disponible : ICI

"STOP!!! STOP!!! STOP!!!"

Those words come from a real time, behind the scenes, audio recording of actual air traffic controllers working a "near miss."

"Delta 1489! Go Around! Delta 1489 go around!" the unidentified air traffic controller says on the tape. "Go AROUND! Traffic in the middle of the runway! "

They were trying to avoid disaster at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International airport a year ago in July, 2007.

"Delta 1489, just stay with me a moment longer. I'll have a frequency change for you," the air traffic controller tells the jet's pilots who just avoided disaster. "And they'll work you right back in."

"1489. Roger," the pilot of the Delta jets confirms back to air traffic controllers on the audio recording.

Near disaster was averted by just feet when after a United Airbus 320 accidentally rolled onto runway 9-left just as a Delta Boeing 757 begins to touch down on the very same runway 9 left. The two planes missed colliding by 100 feet.

"1489. Thanks for the quick action on that," the pilots of the Delta jet say on the recording moments after the near collision.

"Thank you very much" the air traffic controller can be heard telling pilots on the audio recording. "The last controller, he's already gone downstairs. He's taking a break."

"I don't blame him after that (near disaster)," the pilot of the Delta jet responds on the audio recording.

"I imagine you'll be taking one too," the air traffic controller responds to the pilots in the Delta jet.

Had the air traffic controllers not acted with incredible speed and skill it likely would have been the one of the worst air disasters in U.S. history.

"We'll have to clean up the seat," one of the pilots of the Delta 757 can be heard saying on the audio recording.

"I understand," replies the air traffic controller on the tape.