Pilots say planes using criss-crossing runways could collide if one of the pilots fails to stop short

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- As American skies become busier, airports are trying to find ways to accommodate more commercial airline traffic. At many U.S. airports, that means the simultaneous use of intersecting runways for landing and takeoff. But some pilots and aviation experts call the practice risky.

This is how intersecting runways are being used: Aircraft A is cleared to land on one runway but told to "stop and hold short" of the intersecting runway until Aircraft B takes off.

However, if something goes wrong and Aircraft A fails to stop in time, it could plow into Aircraft B.

In an anonymous safety reporting system set up by NASA, pilots reported 69 near collisions on intersecting runways between January 1997 and October 1998. But the Federal Aviation Administration says there were only six such incidents in that period.

CNN's Charles Feldman shows how planes use intersecting runways Video clip: 300k QuickTime movie

There are 220 airports in the United States that use intersecting runways. Airlines like the simultaneous use of intersecting runways because it allows more flights to take off and land.

But Barry Schiff, a former airline captain and aviation expert, said pilots view the issue differently.

"The pilots are looking at it strictly from a safety point of view and so should passengers. It's not good for safety. It does erode safety somewhat, depending on conditions," he said.

The Airline Pilots Association said it's concerned about FAA proposals to use "land and hold short" procedures more often.

"They now want to expand this to night and they wanted to do this with wet runways, with no acceptable criteria. We just couldn't go that far," said Duane Woerth, a spokesman for the Airline Pilots Association.

Talks on the issue between the FAA and the Airline Pilots Association continue. The pilots union says it may soon instruct its pilots to refuse to accept "land and hold short" clearances.