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North Las Vegas Airport Identified as Most Dangerous

A 2007 report by Forbes ranks the North Las Vegas Airport as the most dangerous airport in the nation. It's a ranking airport managers and even the federal aviation administration are disputing.

Airport managers are upset with the report saying it shows a negative and false view of how this airport actually operates. It says this airport has had 63 runway incursions since 2001, resulting in six deaths.

Even the FAA says that number is wrong, but there's enough concern to keep an eye on North Las Vegas.

Pilot instructor Kenneth Ball flies out of the North Las Vegas Airport at least once a week, and in the last five years he has seen a few close calls.

"I've seen students run off the runway; inexperience, lack of confidence, they get a little gust of wind... get scared and a lot of times it's minor damage but enough to put it on the record," said Ball.

FAA records show 40 runway incursions since 2001, meaning a plane or vehicle on the ground got too close in front of a plane that was landing or taking off. FAA records show that most were minor, but five were serious like a particular crash in 2003.

"Two airplanes collided. One was cleared to land by the air traffic control tower and the other was cleared to take off and they met at an intersection -- but both pilots survived," said airport manager Doug McNeeley.

McNeeley says they've taken steps to ensure safety, like adding guard lights at each runway intersection, but some things are beyond their reach.

"An airport can never control pilot error or mechanical problems," he said.

The FAA agrees and says most incurious are the pilot's fault. For Ball, it doesn't matter what the record show.

"I've got most of my training here... busy... definitely got to be on your toes," said Ball.

It comes down to how he protects himself.

The FAA has a plan in place to help the North Las Vegas Airport bring down those runway incursions. They say they've done away with old airfield markings to get rid of confusion. They also opened up additional positions in the control tower.

The FAA ranked the North Las Vegas Airport fourth in the nation two years in a row for the number of runway incursions.

Email your comments to Reporter Melissa Duran.