Could have been disastrous': Flights with same call sign converge near Phoenix

Two American Airlines flights converged near Phoenix early Friday after a delay put aircraft operating with the same call sign into the same airspace at the same time, according to flight-tracking data reviewed by Scripps News. Both were scheduled as American Airlines Flight 2482—one from Chicago to Phoenix and the other from Phoenix to Chicago—normally separated by time so conflicts would be avoided. The tracks showed the planes coming along the same path with about 3 miles horizontal separation and roughly 2,000 feet vertical separation, within legal requirements. Controllers were aware of the shared call sign and identified them on recorded audio as “2482 on arrival” and “2482 on departure.” The FAA said it is investigating.