Federal investigators examine runway incident as lawmakers push for stronger aviation safety reforms
WASHINGTON: The US National Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation into a near-miss involving two passenger aircraft at Boston Logan International Airport, after a Delta Air Lines jet was forced to abort its landing because an American Airlines plane was taking off from an intersecting runway.
The incident occurred on Saturday and is also being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration. According to the FAA, the crew of a Delta Airbus A319 performed a go-around while approaching the airport as an American Airlines Boeing 737-800 was departing nearby.
Flight-tracking service Flightradar24 said the aircraft came within roughly 325 to 350 feet of each other at the runway intersection, based on barometric pressure readings. The actual distance between the aircraft may have been even smaller.
Delta crew aborts landing as American jet departs intersecting runway
Delta said the crew of the flight arriving from Dallas followed established safety procedures and coordinated with air traffic control before carrying out the go-around. The aircraft later landed safely without incident.
American Airlines did not immediately comment on the event.
The close call has added to growing concern over aviation safety in the United States, where regulators and lawmakers have increasingly focused on runway incursions and air traffic management after several recent incidents.
Congress turns spotlight on aviation safety after string of close calls
The Boston incident came just as Senator Jerry Moran, chairman of a Senate aviation subcommittee, prepared to hold a hearing on close calls in the aviation system.
Moran said the near-miss highlighted the urgent need to address weaknesses in aviation operations and improve the procedures and technologies that protect passengers and crews.
Airlines for America chief executive Chris Sununu is expected to tell lawmakers that the US aviation system remains safe but must continue to improve. In written testimony, he said any sign of stress in the system requires a deliberate and appropriate response, adding that authorities must learn from every incident to prevent future accidents.
Congress is currently considering competing aviation safety reform proposals following the January 2025 collision near Reagan Washington National Airport between an American Airlines regional jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter, which killed 67 people and intensified scrutiny of aviation oversight in the country.
