‘They had not recognized it as a runway’: Details of close call at Midway emerge in NTSB report

A preliminary National Transportation Safety Board report indicates bright sun and mistaken runways at Midway International Airport may have contributed to a near miss Feb. 25.

A Southwest Airlines 737 conducted a go-around that morning at Midway, averting a collision with a Flexjet private aircraft crossing a runway designated for the commercial jet.

The Flexjet crew told NTSB investigators they were initially confused about directions for departure from Midway air traffic controllers.

After clarifications, the pilots were told to cross Runway 31-Left, then hold short of Runway 31-Center, where the Southwest airplane was supposed to land.

“The flight crew initially read back the instructions incorrectly; however, the ground controller immediately reissued the instructions and received a correct readback,” the NTSB reported in findings Tuesday.

As the Flexjet crew proceeded they found “the sun was impeding visibility from the right side of the aircraft.” They also said they did not see signs for 31-Left, that it had a similar width to a taxiway and “that they had not recognized it as a runway.”

The Flexjet captain also stated that as he approached Runway 31-Center, he thought it was Runway 31-Left.

Meanwhile, Southwest pilots told the NTSB they saw the smaller jet and initially assumed it would hold short of 31-Center. But within seconds, the first officer realized the “aircraft was not stopping and was going to cross onto runway 31C.”

“The first officer stated that he called for a go-around and the captain executed it,” NTSB officials said. “The maneuver was executed smoothly and without incident.”

The agency’s investigation is continuing.