Controller, airline crew suspended over incident in Florida skies

Tuesday March 29, 2011 Publish by: Mike M. Ahlers, CNN http://m.cnn.com/primary/_ysOgO-ixIbFDOWPq An air traffic control supervisor and the crew of a Southwest Airlines jet have been suspended after the controller asked the vicinity of a small Cirrus aircraft in an effort to check on the welfare of the pilot. The FAA said the action resulted in the planes getting too close to each other, endangering people on both aircraft. After the report was made by the Southwest crew said they saw two people in the cockpit. Both planes landed safely. Aviation authorities say the protocol for intercepting unresponsive aircraft in close proximity to another plane. This incident was totally inappropriate.