Arriving O’Hare Jet Barely Misses Man on Runway
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CHICAGO — An airline pilot trying to land Friday was forced to make an emergency climb to avoid hitting a transient who had wandered onto a runway at O’Hare International Airport, officials said.
“The pilot claimed he was 20 feet over the guy’s head,” said Mort Edelstein, spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration.
United Airlines Flight 879, a Boeing 737 arriving from Charlotte, N.C., shortly after 9 a.m. with 59 passengers and five crew members, was making its final approach when the pilot spotted a man walking on the runway, said United spokesman Chuck Novak.
“He immediately gave full power,” said Edelstein. The pilot circled once and landed 10 minutes later, he said. There were no injuries.
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