Quick Summary: On Dec. 13, a private Falcon 900EX crew reported a near-collision with a U.S. Air Force refueling tanker near Curaçao, according to LiveATC recordings reviewed by CNN. The report came a day after JetBlue Flight 1112 halted its climb after an unidentified military aircraft entered its flight path. Authorities, including the Pentagon and Curaçao aviation officials, said they will review both incidents; the FAA had earlier warned carriers about heightened military activity in Venezuelan airspace.
U.S. Air Force Tanker Nearly Collides With Civilian Planes Near Curaçao, Pilots Say
Jason Wells/Loop Images/Universal Images Group via GettyStock photo of a U.S. Air Force refueling tanker
Another close midair incident involving a U.S. Air Force aircraft was reported off the coast of Venezuela near Curaçao on Saturday, Dec. 13, according to radio transmissions and media reports. The episode followed a separate near-miss a day earlier involving a JetBlue passenger jet.
Recordings of radio traffic captured by LiveATC.net and reviewed by CNN show the crew of a private Falcon 900EX business jet — on a flight from Aruba to Miami — reporting that they nearly intersected with a U.S. Air Force refueling tanker near the Dutch island of Curaçao. The Falcon crew alerted Curaçao air traffic control that the military aircraft had come alarmingly close.
"They were really close. We were climbing right into him… It was big, maybe a 777 or a (767)," one of the private jet pilots told controllers in the audio reviewed by CNN.
A U.S. Air Force spokesperson directed inquiries to U.S. Southern Command, which had not immediately replied to requests for comment at the time of reporting. People magazine and other outlets also sought comment from the Curaçao Civil Aviation Authority and other agencies.
Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via GettyA JetBlue passenger plane
The episode came one day after JetBlue flight 1112, departing Curaçao for New York City, reported that a U.S. military aircraft entered its flight path and forced the airliner to stop its climb. According to reports from ABC News, CNN and The Guardian, the JetBlue pilot said the other aircraft did not have its transponder on.
"We almost had a midair collision up here. They passed directly into our flight path… They don’t have their transponder turned on, it’s outrageous," the JetBlue pilot told air traffic control, as quoted by CNN.
Flight tracking data from FlightAware shows JetBlue Flight 1112 departed Curaçao International Airport just before 4:30 p.m. local time on the day of the incident. The JetBlue crew described the other aircraft as an air-to-air refueler at their altitude, passing within roughly two to five miles and prompting the crew to halt their climb. JetBlue confirmed it reported the event to federal authorities and said it will cooperate with any investigation.
Officials from the Pentagon and Curaçao aviation authorities said they would review the events. The Federal Aviation Administration had previously issued a notice on Nov. 21 advising carriers to exercise caution in Venezuelan airspace because of heightened military activity and a deteriorating security environment that could pose risks to aircraft at all altitudes.
What Happens Next: Aviation authorities and U.S. military commands said they will review radio recordings, flight-tracking data and other evidence. Investigations typically seek to verify aircraft identities, transponder and radar data, and whether proper separation and communications procedures were followed.
