CHAPEL HILL — Close encounters in the sky are causing concern among this country's air travelers. Last week, military planes chased two commercial flights over east coast air space. Now, reports of a third incident -- with a twist -- is adding to those worries.

Roy Roth of Chapel Hill was on a USAir flight from Boston to Philadelphia on Friday when, he says, the pilot was coming in at a gentle glide, then suddenly accelerated to bring the plane up. But Roth says the strangest thing was the report from the pilot.

Roth says the passengers were told on landing that the plane had to avoid a parachutist.

The FAA confirms that an incident occurred at 4:10 Friday afternoon involving USAir flight 969, which was the one on which Roth was traveling.

There's no word on whether the parachutist involved was military or civilian.