It could have been one of the worst disasters in aviation history

It was a near-miss last month that could have killed hundreds of people. An Air Canada jet was on final approach to land at San Francisco International Airport. Instead, it was about to land on a taxi way full of planes waiting to take off.

According to our sister station in San Francisco, the National Transportation Safety Board issued an update on the incident that happened on Friday, July 7.

It was a nighttime landing, and the Air Canada jet was only 59 feet above the ground when the pilot realized his mistake and quickly pulled up.

The NTSB originally thought the jet’s lowest point was 100 feet.

Several planes were waiting on the taxiway, including a United Airlines Boeing 787. The tip of the 787’s tail can be as tall as 56 feet. That means the Air Canada jet was only a few feet above the plane on the ground.

According to The Telegraph, the crew of a Philippine Airlines jet, which was also on the taxiway, turned on their landing lights, as they tried a last-ditch effort to warn the Air Canada crew they were moments from disaster.

The Air Canada jet was able to avoid a crash and safely landed a short time later.

You can read the entire NTSB report HERE.