If you or a loved one has experienced an injury or death as a result of an incident involving an aircraft, our firm is uniquely qualified to understand and act on your concerns.   Financial recovery can never make the injury or death go away.   However, financial recovery can compensate for the financial losses associated with an injury or death and perhaps prevent the cause of your loss from occurring again.   Our attorneys and legal staff are committed to maintaining a supportive relationship with our clients and addressing the issues resulting from your loss.

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                       NTSB ADVISORY

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National Transportation Safety Board

Washington, DC 20594

May 3, 2010

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NTSB INVESTIGATING NEAR COLLISION OF SOUTHWEST 737 AND NEWS

HELICOPTER OVER HOUSTON HOBBY AIRPORT

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The NTSB has launched an investigation into the near

collision of a Southwest Airlines jetliner and a news

helicopter over a runway at Houston's Hobby Airport last

week.

At about 12:25 p.m. CDT on Wednesday, April 28, a Southwest

Airlines 737, flight 1322 (N242WN) and a Bell 207 news

gathering helicopter (N6YJ), came within an estimated 125

feet vertically and 100 feet laterally from each other as

both were departing the airport.

The Baltimore-bound 737 with 135 passengers and a crew of

five had been cleared to depart from runway 12R. At about

the same time the helicopter was cleared to depart from

another part of the airport. The near-collision occurred as

the helicopter converged into the flight path of the 737

shortly after the jetliner lifted off from the runway. Both

crews took evasive maneuvers to avoid colliding.

NTSB investigator Betty Koschig, an air traffic control

specialist based in Washington, is traveling to Houston

tomorrow to begin the investigation.

This is the second runway safety incident that the NTSB has

investigated in the last two weeks. On April 19, a 737 and a

small private plane came within about 200 feet of colliding

over the airport in Burbank, Calif.