Report: Pilot mistook Venus for aircraft, plunged plane toward Atlantic

foxnews.com ^ | 4/17/12 | NewsCore

[onlylewis]

An Air Canada pilot mistook the planet Venus for another aircraft and plunged his plane towards the Atlantic Ocean to avoid a collision.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/04/17/16-injured-after-pilot-mistakes-venus-for-aircraft-plunges-plane-toward/?test=latestnews#ixzz1sKAemkMr

[UCANSEE2]

The thing I don't understand is how he would see Venus when flying east (Toronto to Zurich) in the evening over the Atlantic.

"The flash of light you saw in the sky was not a UFO. Swamp gas from a weather balloon was trapped in a thermal pocket and reflected the light from Venus. "

[UCANSEE2]

It has to be experienced to be properly appreciated.

Nothing like being in the air, and feeling SO LOST you don't even know where the Planet is.

[UCANSEE2]

Venus is high and bright in the western sky right now.

Where was Venus in the sky when this occurred in January 2011?

I am thinking it was right in front of that plane.

[cookcounty]

Well, you’re not flying east, you’re flying Northeast, maybe NNE, and you’re on the left (NW side, maybe WNW side) of the deck. You could see Venus from there over your left shoulder, especially since Venus has been a little north of due west..

[cookcounty]

Ooops January, 2011. Never mind.

[Upstate NY Guy]

That's a good answer, Cookcounty. But it turns out I misread the original article. The incident actually occurred 15 months ago - Jan 2011. And Venus was in the east (morning sky) during that time. I guess it takes a long time to complete the investigation and incident reports, which makes sense considering the gravity of these situations.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks onlylewis. An “extra, extra” ping to the APoD list members.

[Las Vegas Dave]

Pinging the UFO/UAP list as a FYI!

Odds of Finding Alien Life Boosted by Billions of Habitable Worlds.
By Nola Taylor Redd | SPACE.com – Sat, Apr 28, 2012

http://news.yahoo.com/odds-finding-alien-life-boosted-billions-habitable-worlds-122420222.html

[doug from upland]

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

Pity the pilot who doesn’t know Uranus from hole in the ground.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks onlylewis. From the 17th, can't imagine what made me finally ping this list. ;')

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[SunkenCiv]

Thanks LVD.

[dfwgator]

He went to the JFK Jr. School of Flying?