Latest news with #SouthwestFlight2504
Associated Press
26-02-2025
- General
- Associated Press
LISTEN: Southwest Airlines flight abruptly rises to avoid another plane crossing Chicago runway
Pilots on a Southwest Airlines flight attempting to land at Chicago's Midway Airport were forced to climb back into the sky to avoid another aircraft crossing the runway on Tuesday morning. Southwest Flight 2504 safely landed 'after the crew performed a precautionary go-around to avoid a possible conflict with another aircraft that entered the runway,' an airline spokesperson said in an email.
CBS News
26-02-2025
- CBS News
Some on Southwest flight said they had no idea about aborted landing at Midway until hours later
Passengers on a Southwest Airlines flight trying to land at Midway International Airport didn't even find out about a close call with a private business jet on the runway until hours later. Some people onboard said they didn't know what happened until they got to their destinations. Video shows Southwest flight 2504 from Omaha coming in for a landing at the airport, then quickly aborting to avoid a potential collision with the business jet that was taxiing across the runway. The Southwest flight was just inches from the ground when the pilots throttled up and climbed skyward to avoid the business jet — which preliminary data show was a FlexJet Bombardier Challenger bound for Knoxville, Tennessee. Seconds later, the Southwest plane flew over the business jet at an approximate altitude of 250 feet, according to preliminary flight data. An audio recording from air traffic control shows that the private plane had been cleared to cross one runway, but hold at another. The pilot of the private jet repeated the instructions to the tower incorrectly, and was corrected by the tower. The pilot then repeated the instructions correctly. About 30 seconds later, the Southwest pilot can be heard saying they are "going around." The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating after the business jet entered the runway without authorization. Emily Novak and Caley Maszk were on the plane, Southwest Flight 2504. They were flying from Omaha for a layover at Midway before continuing to Dallas. They took a photo of the city outside their window minutes before the Delta plane nearly hit the private jet on the runway. "Honestly, it was such a calm situation," said Novak. Novak and Maszk said there were about 100 people on the Southwest plane, and most did not know the severity of what had happened. "Right as we were about to hit the ground, we just started taking off again," Novak said. "We didn't know the situation at all, actually, until we got to Dallas." Pilot and former air traffic controller Rob Mark said what the pilot did was a textbook "perfect go-around." Southwest added its crew performed a "precautionary go-around to avoid the other aircraft." Mark said the private jet pilot likely did not look both ways before crossing the runway. "They would have absolutely seen the Southwest jet about to land on the runway, because the visibility is incredible today," Mark said. As for Novak and Maszk, they said they were already nervous flying after serious accidents have made headlines in the U.S. and Canada lately. "I think if were to know what happened, and then had to go fly to Dallas, I think I would have been very anxious," Maszk said. These incidents have included a deadly airplane and Black Hawk helicopter collision over Washington, D.C., a Delta Air Lines flight crash-landing upside-down in Toronto, and just this week, another Delta flight making an emergency landing in Atlanta due to "possible smoke" in the cabin." After the near-miss at Midway Tuesday, Novak and Maszk said they are grateful — and they had a message for the pilot and crew. "Thank you," Nowak said. "We are so lucky that we had the pilot and crew that we did — so lucky." Transportation experts said flying is still very safe, and these separate individual incidents do not follow any pattern. Flexjet, the company that was in charge of the private jet, said it is investigating and will do what is needed to rectify the situation.
The Hill
25-02-2025
- General
- The Hill
Southwest Airlines flight abruptly rises to avoid another plane crossing Chicago runway
CHICAGO (AP) — Pilots on a Southwest Airlines flight attempting to land at Chicago's Midway Airport were forced to make the plane climb suddenly to avoid another aircraft crossing the runway. Airport webcam video posted to X shows the Southwest plane appear to briefly touch down about 8:50 a.m. CST Tuesday before its nose was abruptly pulled up as the second plane is seen on the runway. Southwest Flight 2504 safely landed 'after the crew performed a precautionary go-around to avoid a possible conflict with another aircraft that entered the runway,' an airline spokesperson said in an email. 'The crew followed safety procedures and the flight landed without incident.' Audio recording of communication between the crew and the tower includes the ground tower employee breaking off mid-message to the plane. The pilot then said 'Southwest 2504 going around' and followed directions to climb back to 3,000 feet. Seconds later, the audio captures the pilot asking the tower: 'Southwest 2504, how'd that happen?' The second plane, described as a business jet, entered the runway without authorization, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Flexjet, the plane's owner, said the company is aware 'of the occurrence in Chicago.' 'Flexjet adheres to the highest safety standards and we are conducting a thorough investigation,' a spokesperson said in a statement. 'Any action to rectify and ensure the highest safety standards will be taken.' Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board say they are investigating the incident. The Southwest Flight was enroute to Midway Airport from Omaha, Nebraska, according to FlightAware.
The Independent
25-02-2025
- The Independent
Southwest Airlines flight abruptly rises to avoid another plane crossing Chicago runway
Pilots on a Southwest Airlines flight attempting to land at Chicago 's Midway Airport were forced to make the plane climb suddenly to avoid another aircraft crossing the runway. Airport webcam video posted to X shows the Southwest plane appear to briefly touch down about 8:50 a.m. CST Tuesday before its nose was abruptly pulled up as the second plane is seen on the runway. Southwest Flight 2504 safely landed 'after the crew performed a precautionary go-around to avoid a possible conflict with another aircraft that entered the runway,' an airline spokesperson said in an email. 'The crew followed safety procedures and the flight landed without incident." Audio recording of communication between the crew and the tower includes the ground tower employee breaking off mid-message to the plane. The pilot then said 'Southwest 2504 going around' and followed directions to climb back to 3,000 feet. Seconds later, the audio captures the pilot asking the tower: 'Southwest 2504, how'd that happen?' The second plane, described as a business jet, entered the runway without authorization, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Flexjet, the plane's owner, said the company is aware 'of the occurrence in Chicago." 'Flexjet adheres to the highest safety standards and we are conducting a thorough investigation,' a spokesperson said in a statement. "Any action to rectify and ensure the highest safety standards will be taken.' Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board say they are investigating the incident. The Southwest Flight was enroute to Midway Airport from Omaha, Nebraska, according to FlightAware.
