Latest news with #FlexJetChallenger
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Southwest jet came within 200 feet of business jet in Chicago near-miss
By David Shepardson (Reuters) - A Southwest Airlines flight was less than 200 feet behind a business jet when the Southwest pilot aborted the landing and made an emergency maneuver to narrowly avoid a collision at Chicago Midway Airport on February 25, U.S. safety officials said on Tuesday. A FlexJet Challenger business jet entered the runway without authorization, prompting the Southwest Boeing 737-800 to circle and re-approach the landing, a maneuver called a go-around. The Southwest first officer saw the business jet and realized it was not stopping, called for a go-around and the captain executed it, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a preliminary report. The FlexJet crew said the instructions from controllers did not make sense and said after they sought clarification they were given a new taxi route. The flight crew initially read back the instructions incorrectly but the ground controller immediately reissued the instructions and received a correct readback. The FlexJet flight crew said the sun was impeding visibility from the right side of the aircraft and crew members did not recall seeing any hold short line or pavement markings. The crew said it did not observe the Southwest jet on final approach. A controller instructed the FlexJet to hold short as it approached, but the transmission was not acknowledged, the NTSB said. This month, the Federal Aviation Administration said it was taking steps to address safety issues involving general aviation and business jets. After the Chicago incident, the FAA said it was initiating a safety-risk analysis of close encounters between pilots flying visually and pilots flying under air traffic control. The FAA said it had met with general and business aviation groups. Over the last two years, a series of near-miss incidents has raised concerns about U.S. aviation safety and the strain on understaffed air traffic control operations. Several incidents have involved close calls with small planes. The FAA said it would take a series of steps to remind pilots to check notices for situations they can encounter during flight, be familiar with their destination airport, avoid complacency by paying attention to pre-flight checklists and pay close attention to onboard collision warnings.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Southwest jet passed less than 200 feet behind business jet in February near-miss
(Reuters) - A Southwest Airlines flight forced to abort a landing at Chicago Midway Airport on February 25 to narrowly avoid a collision with a business jet was less than 200 feet behind it, the National Transportation Safety Board said on Tuesday. A FlexJet Challenger business jet entered the runway without authorization, prompting the Southwest Boeing 737-800 to perform a go-around, a maneuver in which the plane circled and reapproached the landing. The Southwest first officer saw the business jet and realized it was not stopping, called for a go-around and the captain executed it, the NTSB said.
Reuters
18-03-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Southwest jet passed less than 200 feet behind business jet in February near-miss
March 18 (Reuters) - A Southwest Airlines (LUV.N), opens new tab flight forced to abort a landing at Chicago Midway Airport on February 25 to narrowly avoid a collision with a business jet was less than 200 feet behind it, the National Transportation Safety Board said on Tuesday. A FlexJet Challenger business jet entered the runway without authorization, prompting the Southwest Boeing 737-800 to perform a go-around, a maneuver in which the plane circled and reapproached the landing. The Southwest first officer saw the business jet and realized it was not stopping, called for a go-around and the captain executed it, the NTSB said.
Al Arabiya
26-02-2025
- Business
- Al Arabiya
Southwest jet narrowly avoids colliding with business jet at Chicago airport
A Southwest Airlines flight was forced to abort a landing at Chicago Midway airport on Tuesday and narrowly avoided a collision with a business jet that entered the runway without authorization, the Federal Aviation Administration said. Flight 2504 was landing at Chicago's Midway airport on Tuesday morning, however it had to perform a "precautionary" go-around to avoid a conflict with another aircraft, the airline said. — ABC 7 Chicago (@ABC7Chicago) February 25, 2025 Around 8:50 a.m. CT, Southwest Flight 2504, a Boeing 737-800 arriving from Omaha, Nebraska, abruptly pulled up and flew over a FlexJet Challenger on the runway. The Southwest plane performed a go-around, a maneuver in which it circled and reapproached the landing. A dramatic video posted on social media showed the Southwest jet nearing touchdown then ascending sharply. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. Southwest said the crew 'followed safety procedures and the flight landed without incident.' According to Southwest's website, its Boeing 737-800 aircraft can carry 175 passengers. The business jet, which Flexjet says can carry up to nine passengers, had been taxiing on runway 31C before departing for Knoxville, Tennessee. The Southwest jet had descended to an altitude of 50 feet when it abandoned its landing only about 2,050 feet away from the business jet, according to tracking service Flightradar 24. As it abruptly rose, the Southwest plane had only reached an altitude of 250 feet when it passed over the smaller aircraft, the service said. Over the last two years, a series of troubling near-miss incidents has raised concerns about US aviation safety and the strain on understaffed air traffic control operations. There was no indication of air traffic control error in Tuesday's incident. In October, the FAA said it was opening an audit into runway incursion risks at the 45 busiest US airports. Democrats in Congress seized on the fact that the Trump administration recently fired 352 FAA workers, including some involved in safety operations. 'Maybe not the best time to fire hundreds of FAA workers, tell the remaining workers you want to 'put them in trauma',' Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut said on Tuesday, citing a comment from a Trump administration official. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has said firings did not include any 'safety-critical positions' or air traffic controllers. Duffy did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The FAA, which has aging technology and facilities and needs billions of dollars to modernize, is about 3,500 air traffic controllers short of targeted staffing, prompting the aviation industry and lawmakers to call for action.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Yahoo
Southwest jet narrowly avoids colliding with business jet at Chicago airport
By David Shepardson (Reuters) - A Southwest Airlines jet was forced to abort a landing at Chicago Midway airport on Tuesday in a serious near miss incident after a business jet entered the runway without authorization, the Federal Aviation Administration said. Southwest Flight 2504, a Boeing 737-800 arriving from Omaha, flew overtop a FlexJet Challenger on the runway and performed a go-around narrowly avoiding the aircraft on the ground. The FAA is investigating the incident, which occurred around 8:50 a.m. CT. A dramatic video posted on social media showed the Southwest jet nearing touch down and then pulling up and above the FlexJet that had crossed Runway 31C. Southwest said the crew "followed safety procedures and the flight landed without incident." Over the last two years, a series of troubling near-miss incidents has raised concerns about U.S. aviation safety and the strain on understaffed air traffic control operations. In October, the FAA said it was opening an audit into runway incursion risks at the 45 busiest U.S. airports. Democrats in Congress seized on the fact that the Trump administration recently fired 352 FAA workers, including some involved in safety operations. "Maybe not the best time to fire hundreds of FAA workers, tell the remaining workers you want to 'put them in trauma'," Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut said. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has said the people fired did not include any "safety-critical positions" or any air traffic controllers. Duffy did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The FAA, which has aging technology and facilities and needs billions of dollars to modernize, is about 3,500 air traffic controllers short of targeted staffing levels, prompting the aviation industry and lawmakers to call for action. On Monday, the FAA said it was investigating another incident involving a possible close call in Houston on Sunday, when the crew of Air Shuttle Flight 6034 performed a go-around due to an unstable approach and conflicted with a departing SkyWest Airlines flight. Air traffic control issued corrective instructions to both flight crews, but the Air Shuttle crew climbed above their assigned altitude. Sign in to access your portfolio
