Top US accident investigator says close calls between planes show that aviation is under stress

The nation’s top accident investigator says a surge in close calls between planes at U.S. airports this year is a clear warning sign that aviation is under stress. Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, told a Senate panel Thursday that close calls are incredibly rare, but we cannot ignore the recent increase in such events. Representatives of unions for pilots and air traffic controllers and a former chief of the Federal Aviation Administration are testifying at the same hearing.