NTSB investigates near collision in Calif.

WASHINGTON, April 24 (UPI) -- The National Transportation Safety Board says it's investigating the near collision of a Southwest Airlines jet and a small plane at a California airport.

The Southwest 737 jet was landing at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank Monday when it nearly collided with the small, single-engine plane taking off on a crossing runway, NTSB investigators said.

FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said an air traffic controller who misjudged the space between the aircraft and other controllers in the tower have "received training on what went wrong and how to prevent a recurrence."

The Cessna passed 200 feet above and 10 feet behind the Southwest aircraft, The Dallas Morning News reported.

"We are working closely with the NTSB in support of their investigation and look forward to learning more," Southwest spokeswoman Brandy King said, declining further comment, citing the NTSB investigation.

The Dallas-based airline's flight was coming from the west when it arrived from Oakland, Calif., and landed on an east-west runway. The southbound Cessna 172 was taking off on a crossing north-south runway, authorities said.

Gregor said the Cessna pilot was practicing touch-and-go landings on the north-south runway.

"Normally, this would not have presented a conflict potential. However, the air traffic controller handling the planes misjudged the spacing of the two aircraft," Gregor said. "The controller instructed the Cessna pilot to turn at a point that had the two aircraft arriving at the intersection at roughly the same time."

The controller, Gregor said, then "failed to recognize the potential conflict and did not instruct the Cessna to go around."