“I would bet there have been incidents of near-misses before. “
Lots! Nothing like getting a call from tower, “XYZ, bank hard left now!” Happened to me more than once.
The airport is a training airport with probably half the flights for training. ATC are trained there, too. Makes for a nervous cadre of experienced pilots and experienced controllers. Aviation needs an upgrade to its safety standards. There simply are some people that should never fly or be a controller.
There have been calls to close this much needed and economically important airport as it was once in the middle of nowhere but has been encroached on all sides now. This is how so many airports have been closed, through development.
I hate to see any airport closed, especially one that has been there longer than the surrounding developments. But the easy way for the FAA is to simply shut it down.
It’s been over 30 years since I’ve actively flown and now find my passion is to find old abandoned airports or at least acreage where airports once were. It’s sad to see how urban sprawl has consumed a good portion of this nations aviation history.
Let’s hope something good comes out of this incident. It looks like a tragedy was averted the other day. Hopefully, it will be a “teachable moment” for all involved.