FAA Investigates Fighter Close Call in Texas

[Photo: U.S. Marine Corps/Cpl. Ryan Ulibarri]

The FAA is investigating a close call between a U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18C jet and two civilian aircraft in Austin, Texas, in September.

According to a statement from the FAA, at around noon CDT on September 23 the pilot of a Cessna Citation at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (KAUS) received an onboard alert that the F/A-18C Hornet was nearby. The pilot of the Cessna Citation "took evasive action.”

Radio traffic revealed the Citation had been cleared to land as the F/18 approached. The F/18 was cleared to execute a break, a maneuver that involves a sharp turn to slow down. The air traffic controller expressed surprise at the F/A-18's descent, and another voice on tape added, “That’d have been nice to know, guy.”

According to the Washington Post, after landing the F/A-18 pilot asked for a phone number to contact the ATC office, and a controller replied, “Yeah, I was going to give you the number here because I guess there was a miscommunication. I misunderstood what was requested, I guess.”

The FAA also noted that the F/A-18 also overflew Runway 18L when a Piper PA-28 was preparing for takeoff.

The F/A-18 was in the area for exercises and stopped at KAUS for fuel. The agency is investigating the event to determine the closest proximity of the aircraft. According to Marine Corps Times, the Corps has also launched an investigation into the incident.

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Cessna Citation F/A-18 Hornet F/A-18C Hornet FAA KAUS U.S. Marine Corps

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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.