A heart-stopping near-collision between two passenger jets over one of the world's busiest airspaces has prompted a full-scale investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The incident, which could have resulted in an unprecedented disaster, saw aircraft from two of America's largest carriers come perilously close to one another.
A Split-Second from Disaster
On a seemingly routine Friday, a United Airlines Boeing 757, carrying 189 passengers and crew bound for San Francisco, was instructed to abort its landing at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. Simultaneously, a Delta Air Lines Airbus A320 with 129 people on board was departing for the Dominican Republic.
In a catastrophic misstep, an air traffic controller cleared the Delta jet to take off on a runway that the United aircraft was rapidly approaching. The resulting conflict saw the two planes come within a mere 800 feet of each other vertically—a terrifyingly small margin in aviation terms.
The Chain of Command Failure
Initial reports from the FAA indicate a critical breakdown in communication and protocol. The controller who authorised the Delta jet's departure was reportedly unaware that the United plane had been instructed to go around. This type of error points to a serious lapse in the tightly coordinated system designed to prevent such occurrences.
Aviation experts were quick to highlight the severity of the event. Such near-misses, known in the industry as 'runway incursions,' are among the most dangerous scenarios in commercial aviation, where decision-making time is measured in seconds.
FAA Scrambles to Respond
The FAA has confirmed that a thorough investigation is underway. The agency stated, "The FAA will investigate how the incident occurred. We are following our standard process for these types of incidents." This typically involves reviewing air traffic control audio recordings, radar data, and interviews with the controllers and flight crews involved.
Both United and Delta have acknowledged the incident and are fully cooperating with authorities. The airlines confirmed that their respective flights later landed safely at their destinations without further incident, though passengers were likely unaware of the gravity of the situation they had just endured.
A Symptom of a Strained System?
This alarming event near a major hub like New York raises urgent questions about the increasing pressure on the US aviation infrastructure. As travel demand surges past pre-pandemic levels, the system is being tested like never before. Industry analysts are calling for a top-down review of staffing, technology, and procedures to ensure such a close call is not repeated.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has also been notified and may choose to open its own parallel investigation, given the potential magnitude of the avoided catastrophe.
