Adequate Separation Maintained Between Landing 737, Citation

The Federal Aviation Administration concluded Wednesday a SkyValue flight did not come close to colliding with another aircraft during a botched landing last month in Gary, IN.

As ANN reported, SkyValue Flight 512, inbound from Mesa, AZ was on approach to land at GYY behind a Cessna Citation. The SkyValue jet began to overtake the slower bizjet, and air traffic controllers told the Boeing 737 to break off its approach and circle around.

The FAA concluded the two planes never were close to crashing, and the pilots followed procedure, staying a few miles away from each other. "It was one airplane following another, as is normal," said FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory. "It was a perfectly normal and safe procedure."

What followed, however, was somewhat unusual. Instead of circling the airport while waiting for the other flight to land, the SkyValue pilot decided to land in South Bend to refuel before returning to Gary to deliver the passengers.

Airport director Chris Curry told the Northwest Indiana Times the SkyValue pilot opted to continue on to South Bend -- 50 nautical miles east of Gary -- due to fuel concerns if multiple diversions were necessary.

FMI: www.flyskyvalue.com, www.faa.gov