People in Kansas City and elsewhere deserve safe air travel. When it comes to preventing aviation accidents, air-traffic controllers play a central role in keeping passengers and pilots safe in the skies. A recent accident report released by the National Transportation Safety Board shows that one bad apple in an air-traffic tower can have a huge impact on the lives of other people in the air.

The NTSB cites a lack of professionalism in the role an air-traffic controller had in a near miss air accident. Last June, a small prop plane and a regional airliner flew within 300 feet of each other after taking off at Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport in Mississippi. Because of improper instructions from an air-traffic controller the two planes were on converging flight paths shortly after takeoff. Combined, the two planes were carrying 55 people. Fortunately, no one was injured.

According to the report, the controller directed both planes to takeoff practically at the same time. Though both planes were on different runways, the direction violated normal procedure because the controller failed to inform the crew of the planes of the close takeoff times.

The NTSB began to look more closely at the errors and judgment of controllers after the incident and after a series of other dangerous air incidents that occurred last year. All of the accidents were caused by controllers who fell asleep or who lost concentration.

According to the report, the controller involved in the near-miss in Mississippi had a history of using shortcuts and did not get along with fellow employees.

Source: The Wall Street Journal, "Report cites controller errors in near mid-air collision," Andy Pasztor, Jan. 18, 2012