WASHINGTON, June 6 (Reuters) - The chair of the National

Transportation Safety Board said Thursday the February 2023

near-collision between a FedEx ( FDX ) plane and a Southwest

Airlines ( LUV ) jet in Austin, Texas could have been

catastrophic without the actions of the cargo carrier pilots.

The NTSB is meeting to determine the probable cause and make

safety recommendations in the wake of a series of dangerous

near-collision incidents last year that raised concerns about

U.S. aviation safety and the strain on understaffed air traffic

control.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said the planes came within 150

to 170 feet of each other when the FedEx ( FDX ) plane aborted its

landing and overflew the Southwest ( LUV ) plane that was moving down

the runway.