Guard: F-16s were flying too high when they neared commercial plane over Ohio

Guard acknowledges Ohio F-16s were flying too high

CINCINNATI — An Ohio National Guard official says it appears two F-16 fighter jets were flying too high during a training flight when they came close to a commercial plane over southern Ohio this week.

The Guard’s vice chief of staff, Mark Wayda, says the F-16s were on normal training flights Thursday and it appears they were above their ceiling.

Officials say they plan a full investigation.

The fighters came so close to an Atlantic Southeast Airlines flight carrying around 60 passengers that they triggered a cockpit alarm. The pilots of the commercial plane maneuvered away while headed from Cleveland to Atlanta and landed safely in Georgia on time.

Authorities say both planes were at 30,000 feet and that F-16s should fly below that.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

CINCINNATI (AP) — Two military fighter jets came so close to a commercial flight over southern Ohio this week that they triggered a cockpit alarm in the commuter plane, whose pilots could see the F-16s nearby, authorities said Friday.

Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 5202, a 70-seat commuter jet, was flying from Cleveland to Atlanta on Thursday at 30,000 feet when its two pilots saw the F-16s nearby at 10 a.m., the airline said.

The plane with 58 passengers and four crew members remained on its flight plan and landed on time, Kate Modolo, spokeswoman for the Atlanta-based carrier, said Friday.

“Our pilots did a good job and handled the flight appropriately and got our passengers safely to Atlanta,” she said.

Radar showed the Ohio National Guard F-16s were flying at 30,000 feet when they should have been no higher than 29,000 feet, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Tony Molinaro said.

The commercial plane “encountered two F-16s and they had a near-miss incident,” Molinaro said.

A cockpit computer system alarm engaged, and the commercial pilots could see the F-16s, he said, but he couldn’t say how near they came. Pilots contacted controllers, who cleared them to climb to 36,000 feet as a precaution.

The jets were in a military operations area, likely for training, Molinaro said. Officials at the Columbus-based Guard said they couldn’t immediately comment on the investigation.

The FAA will provide its information to the military, Molinaro said.