HC Deb 23 May 1988 vol 134 cc59-60W
Mr. John M. Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement concerning the near miss in the flight path into Birmingham airport on the afternoon of Wednesday, 18 May, involving two aircraft at approximately the same altitude and at a short distance apart laterally.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

I understand from the Civil Aviation Authority that the incident occurred 3 miles east of Warwick at about 5,000ft and involved two British Airways BAC1–11 aircraft, one descending into and the other departing from Birmingham airport. Full details are not yet known. It appears that the aircraft were separated by about a quarter of a mile laterally and no avoiding action was taken.

The incident will be investigated by the independent joint airmiss working group. The report will be published. It will be the responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority to take any necessary safety action; this need not wait until the report is published.