Hero pilot stops jet crash just feet from disaster 100 passengers saved as plane comes within feet of disaster.

A PILOT'S skill and reactions averted an airline disaster last night as two planes came within feet of crashing.

A jet carrying 100 people almost landed on top of a tiny two-seater plane which had set down at Glasgow Airport seconds earlier.

The pilot of the British Airways 737 from Gatwick pulled up just in time, engines screaming, and flew over the smaller plane.

Witnesses on the ground said there was less than 100 feet between the aircraft but people on board the BA flight claimed they came much closer.

Commuters on the 737 screamed as they were jolted back by the force of the jet's engines.

Passenger Greg Renous - who has a pilot's licence - said: "It seemed we were no more than 50 feet off the runway when we pulled up.

"I'm a pilot so I know what I'm talking about.

"And even the air hostesses looked shocked."

The businessman was so incensed at the near-miss that he phoned the control tower after the plane landed.

Mr Renous went on: "I was understandably very shaken but, like most of the passengers, I wanted an explanation.

"When I called the control tower, the first thing they did was apologise to me because they thought I was the British Airways captain - it was very strange.

"To be honest, they didn't really give me an explanation. I don't think they knew what had happened themselves."

Mr Renous said it was a full four minutes before staff on board the plane gave any indication of what happened.

The BA flight circled the airport after the near- disaster then landed. He told how the drama unfolded and said: "Everything seemed to be going well but then the jet took a huge surge forward.

"We could see the runway coming towards us and then suddenly we were shooting straight into the sky again. The noise of the engines was absolutely deafening. As we came in to land for a second time, we were told about the near-miss.

"The pilot is obviously very skilled and he definitely averted a disaster.

"But mistakes cannot be made in control towers - our lives are in their hands."

An airport spokesman confirmed: "Flight 2968 was forced to pull up. It landed safely."

Plane-spotters and airport staff watched the incident in horror. Jim Hastie said: "I watch planes at the airport all the time and this is the closest I have ever seen two come to a collision.

"A tiny biplane landed and seconds later a BA plane came in straight behind him - it was absolutely terrifying.

"Fortunately, the pilot slammed on the throttles, taking him over the small plane. The other pilot was never going to get out of the road in time - he was slap bang in the centre of the runway.

"I was ready to run for cover because if they had crashed, there would have been a massive explosion.

"Half of the people on board probably don't realise how close they came to death."