A Southwest Airlines pilot averted what could have been a major tragedy on a runway at Chicago Midway International Airport as he aborted the plane's landing at the last minute, avoiding his plane's collision with another jet. A private jet is reported to have come to the runway without authorisation, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said.
The video footage of the incident, which occurred at around 8:50 am local time, has surfaced on social media, where the flight can be seen making last-minute adjustments to avoid the tragedy. The plane can be seen making the final descent while a private jet enters its runway.
The pilot cancelled the landing as Southwest Flight 2504 ascended towards the skies and accelerated away from the airport. The pilot's tactful manoeuvres saved the plane from collision, potentially avoiding a tragedy at the Chicago Midway International Airport.
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", it added.
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 authorisation, 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, as he added, "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 en route to Midway Airport from Omaha, Nebraska, according to FlightAware.
(With inputs from AP)