FAA and NTSB probing close call at Midway involving Southwest plane and business jet
A quick-thinking Southwest Airlines crew averted danger and landed their jet safely at Midway International Airport Tuesday morning after a close call involving a smaller aircraft on a runway.
“The crew of Southwest Airlines Flight 2504 initiated a go-around when a business jet entered the runway without authorization,” Federal Aviation Administration officials said.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the runway incursion which occurred around 8:50 a.m.
Social media videos show the Southwest Boeing 737-800 coming in to land, then ascending as a Flexjet private aircraft crosses the runway.
“The crew followed safety procedures and the flight landed without incident,” a Southwest spokesperson said. “Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of our customers and employees.”
Southwest Airlines Pilots Association President Capt. Jody Reven noted the close call was under review.
“But what is clear is that our Southwest pilots maintained the situational awareness and airmanship that they are known for. They were able to ensure the safety of our passengers, which is always our top priority over 4,000 times each and every day,” he said.
A Flexjet spokesperson said the company “adheres to the highest safety standards and we are conducting a thorough investigation. Any action to rectify and ensure the highest safety standards will be taken.”
The Southwest plane was arriving from Omaha, Nebraska, and the Flexjet aircraft was headed to Knoxville, Tennessee, according to the website FlightAware.
The near miss follows a fatal crash Jan. 29 between an American Airlines jet and U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., and the botched landing of a Delta Air Lines plane at Pearson International Airport in Toronto on Feb. 17 that caused injuries.
FAA data shows the rate of serious runway incursions dropped 69% in 2024 compared to 2023, nationwide.
In 2024, there were two Category A runway incursions, referring to serious occurrences where a collision was narrowly avoided, and five Category B incursions. Those are situations with a significant potential for collision, the FAA said.
In 2023, six Category A incursions and 16 Category B ones took place.