Pilots earn praise for averting near collision disaster at Midway Airport
Southwest flight 2504 from Omaha was nearly wheels down at Midway International Airport shortly before 9 a.m. Tuesday when a private business jet crossed its path. The Southwest pilots quickly aborted the landing and circled around.
'The Southwest flight did a phenomenal job of not only in seeing that ahead of time but then doing just a great, flawless go around,' commercial pilot Capt. Kevin Sprague told WGN. 'I have not had one this close where I'm touching down and then an airplane is crossing in front of me. That's close. That was a great save.'
Video captures near-miss between Southwest Airlines plane, jet on runway at Chicago's Midway Airport
NTSB chairwoman points finger at private jet crew for near collision at Midway Airport
'Great job by the Southwest pilots in Chicago,' President Donald Trump wrote on social media. 'A nearly tragic close call. Perhaps suspend the pilots license of the other plane, who must have been sleeping!'
Industry experts point to confusion heard on radio traffic from the pilots of the smaller FlexJet. Air traffic control told the pilots of the business jet to hold short of the runway, not to cross it.
'If I'm an airplane that's told to hold short of a runway, that's a mandatory read back for me. The tower has to hear that exact verbiage. They have to hear, 'FlextJet 560 hold short of 3-1-Center,'' Sprague said.
The encounter became a topic of academic discussion at Lewis University during instruction for 850 undergraduate and graduate students who are studying for careers in the airline industry. Ryan Phillips, the chair of the university's Aviation and Transportation Technology Department, the incident is a teachable moment.
'This is why it's so important that you read those instructions back correctly, and if there's any doubt in your mind on what you're supposed to do, you need to ask for clarification,' he said. 'The margin of error in aviation is tight. … You have to make sure that you're bringing your best game every day.'
The union for the Southwest pilots released a statement, saying: 'The pilots of @SouthwestAir are humble professionals who train for moments like these but never seek the spotlight. We are truly thankful for the support from our government partners, peers, and passengers.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
16 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump says gold will not face tariffs
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said gold would not be subject to tariffs, but gave no other details. "Gold will not be Tariffed!" Trump said in a statement posted on his social media account and attributed to the president.
Yahoo
16 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Diane Francis: Trump sets his sights on the banking industry
Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order that aims to prevent banks from discriminating against customers because of their politics, religion or 'lawful business activities,' such as owning crypto assets. He told CNBC that in years past, JPMorgan Chase and other banks have 'discriminated against me very badly, and I was very good to the banks.' Apparently, such complaints are not uncommon. 'Conservatives have said that regulators appointed by President Joe Biden spent past years conscripting banks to target Trump's political opponents. Tech investor and Trump adviser Marc Andreessen had said about 30 founders of tech start-ups were 'de-banked.' He called the project 'Operation Chokepoint 2.0.,' ' read a recent report in the Washington Post. In an attempt to prevent increased scrutiny from the federal government, many banks have increased their lobbying and updated their policies to make it clear that they don't discriminate on the basis of politics or religion. But financial institutions will face future scrutiny. While this is an American initiative, it will affect Canadian banks because of their extensive operations south of the border. Canada's five biggest companies are all banks based in Toronto. Many of them own branches and extensive in assets south of the border. It's hard to believe that there would be a concerted top-down initiative to de-bank customers purely based on politics, but in America's deeply polarized society with its localized banks, this would not be surprising. Moreover, their restrictions on financial and tech startups is understandable and began because two banks specializing in crypto — Silvergate and Signature — went bust in 2023, according to the Washington Post. They failed because they didn't appropriately manage the risks, said Steven Kelly, former associate director of research at the Yale Program on Financial Stability. But Trump's fight with banks that allegedly discriminate against the cryptocurrency industry is also political, as he intends to make America the world's crypto capital. Trump's crypto business has boomed and is worth billions. Currently, Canadian banks are gun-shy about crypto, but they may now be forced to start dealing with crypto startups, at least in the U.S. However, Canada's foreign ownership restrictions may prove to be an a bigger challenge, for both Ottawa and the Big Five banks. Trump has publicly, and incorrectly, claimed that Canadian restrictions mean that American banks are forbidden from operating in Canada. 'Canada doesn't allow American Banks to do business in Canada, but their banks flood the American Market. Oh, that seems fair to me, doesn't it?' Trump wrote on social media in March. That's untrue. There are 16 U.S.-based bank subsidiaries operating in Canada with billions in assets, according to the Canadian Bankers Association. But American banks operating in Canada are heavily regulated and somewhat restricted when it comes to providing retail banking services to consumers. It seems clear that Trump wants to eliminate all barriers to entry so that American banks can directly compete in Canada against local banks and offer the same services that Canadian banks provide. So stay tuned. Trump has never let the facts get in the way of a policy. Sign in to access your portfolio
Miami Herald
17 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Tesla verdict is a warning not to trust Autopilot marketing
The recent $329 million verdict against Tesla in Miami is a clear warning to anyone captivated by 'Autopilot' marketing. In 2019, when a young woman was killed and her fiancé suffered permanent injuries, data showed Tesla's system detected the stopped vehicle ahead, but didn't apply the brakes. The jury found that Tesla oversold its safety features and that drivers shouldn't have to dig through dense manuals or inspect the code to understand those limits, nor should crash victims have to battle a major corporation in court to get justice. This case isn't just about one company; it sets a precedent for every business pitching 'smart' or 'autonomous' features. Whether it's delivery drones, ride-share apps, or the next slick dashboard update, consumers must demand clear, enforceable definitions of terms like 'Autopilot' and 'Full Self-Driving.' Without standardized labels and honest disclosures, we risk turning Florida's highways into unregulated test tracks, where real people bear the cost of corporate hype. If you feel misled by a manufacturer's portrayal of what your car, or any device, can do, file a complaint with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or Florida's Division of Consumer Services. Our legislators must enact laws requiring plain-English, consistent labeling for automated-driving functions so that 'Autopilot' means precisely what it promises. Technology should protect us, not gamble with our lives. Let's insist on products that live up to their marketing, or make those who oversell half-baked features pay the price. Merick Lewin, managing partner, Good Guys Law, Plantation Donald Trump became famous for, among other reasons, saying 'You're fired!' on his reality show, 'The Apprentice.' In the White House, however, that meant dismissing anyone who disagreed with him — FBI directors, scientists, generals and honest election officials. On Aug. 1, he fired Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer for reporting something he didn't like: that job growth in the U.S. had slowed to a near-halt. For Trump, loyalty to himself matters more than truth and leadership. This behavior is more typical of authoritarians than of true leaders. Delia DeVarona Garcia, Miami I have read all the articles lately about Miami-Dade County's budget issues. These issues have become glowing examples of county leaders' poor planning. Mayor Levine Cava spoke about the three years the county received plenty of extra money. However, it seems these funds were squandered. One example is that the new Sheriff's office has a roughly $3 million shortfall to change uniforms, badges and rebrand police vehicles. This was a voter referendum in 2018. They knew it was coming. Why weren't funds set aside for this during the 'fat' years? The Aug. 8 Miami Herald article discussed county leaders' thoughts on cutting the special needs programs that had been funded in previous years. This is total financial mismanagement. Robert J. Lynch, Davie As the owner and operator of several large businesses, I appreciate the difficulty in working with my team to establish annual budgets that make economic sense for the company, enjoyable work experiences for our employees and top tier products for our customers. That process relies on prudent business practices, transparency, communication and heart. Reading the Aug. 8 Miami Herald article, 'Charities facing cuts ask Miami-Dade mayor: Save the safety net, don't 'unravel' it,' made me appreciate just how lucky we are to have Mayor Daniella Levine Cava at the helm. Balancing prudent business practices and community responsibility is not easy. We voted her into office because we trusted her and we felt that she would always do right for the community while governing county finances with smart financial planning. We also voted for her because she is fair, honest, hardworking and most importantly, she has a high moral character, hence, we must appreciate that every decision she makes is for the right reason. Determining which agencies get cut and by how much is difficult, but that is a reality we all must understand and accept. As my late father Stanley G. Tate always said, 'Keep your nose to the grindstone and push forward.' James D. Tate, North Miami The Trump administration has ordered universities to submit information regarding applicants' race, gender and who knows what else. This appears to be just another invasion of our private lives. Private universities are just that — private. They exist by the product they supply. If that product is insufficient to meet the need for employment or acceptance into society, then they have failed and it is not up to our prevailing government to admonish or punish them. They may fall of their own accord by lack of financial or societal support. Our society has more than enough guardrails to keep our citizens on the right track as to race and gender without our all-knowing government poking into university life. Bill Silver, Coral Gables August 13 is International Left-Handers Day, founded in 1976 to celebrate the uniqueness and challenges of left-handed people worldwide. Studies show that about 10% of people are left-handed. Scientists are unsure why some people have a dominant left hand, though there may be a connection between genetics and environment. Some left-handers are found to have more left-handed relatives than average. Based on brain function, some southpaws proudly declare that 'left-handers are the only ones in their right mind.' Being a lefty, however, comes with some difficulties. Many desks and tools are geared more for right-handers than left-handers. Most handshakes are done with the right hand. Even lefty contestants on the hit game show 'Wheel of Fortune' are at a disadvantage when they spin the wheel. Some, however, believe lefties are more artistic and creative than righties, a claim backed up by recent research in the American Journal of Psychology. That study revealed that lefties are better at divergent thinking than righties. That may explain why Mozart, Michaelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci — all left handers — were so gifted. Lefties are also found across the sports and entertainment world. Tom Emery, Carlinville, IL Millions of dollars cut from cancer research. Millions of dollars cut from vaccine research. Millions of dollars cut from other medical research. Cuts to Medicaid also. All of this is putting older and vulnerable people at risk. The Trump Republican Party is not MAGA; it is MOVAD — Make Older Vulnerable Americans Dead. Leon Botkin, Miami
