Runway Close Call: Alaskan Airlines Aborts Takeoff

A runway incursion incident at Nashville International Airport involved an Alaska Airlines jet aborting takeoff to avoid a collision with a Southwest Airlines plane. The NTSB is investigating, highlighting ongoing concerns about U.S. aviation safety and air traffic control staffing. New safety technology is planned for installation.

A close call on the runway at Nashville International Airport last month involved an Alaska Airlines jet and a Southwest Airlines plane, according to a statement from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Wednesday. The incident, which occurred on September 12, forced Alaska Airlines Flight 369 to abort takeoff to prevent a potential collision. The swift action of the Alaska pilots, who applied the brakes, resulted in the aircraft's tires blowing.

The NTSB report revealed that a ground controller had cleared the Southwest plane to cross Runway 13 at 9:13 a.m., just 23 seconds before another controller cleared the Alaska flight for departure. This incident is under investigation by both the NTSB and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Southwest Airlines Flight 2029 was en route to Jacksonville, Florida, when it was scheduled to depart as a Boeing 737-700 with 141 passengers.

Recent near-miss incidents have sparked concerns regarding U.S. aviation safety, as air-traffic-control operations face understaffing challenges. FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker noted last month that the number of serious runway incursions had dropped by over 50%. The FAA announced it would be adding new surface-awareness technology at Nashville and three other airports by July, though it declined to comment on the operational status of this technology.

(With inputs from agencies.)