A Southwest Airlines plane escaped a catastrophic crash on Tuesday morning at Chicago Midway International Airport after a private aircraft illegally entered the runway. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the accident, which marks yet another concern with safety in American aviation.
Close Call on the Runway
The accident involved Southwest Flight 2504, which was coming in from Omaha, Nebraska. As it was landing at Midway, a Bombardier Challenger 350 private aircraft, operated by Flexjet, inadvertently entered the runway. Air traffic controllers quickly stepped in, ordering the Southwest pilots to execute a go-around maneuver, a routine aviation safety protocol in which an aircraft cancels its landing and goes around for another attempt.
According to FlightRadar24, the two planes came as close as 2,050 feet before the Southwest pilot took evasive action. The aircraft flew over the private jet at a pressure altitude of 900 feet, approximately 250 feet above the ground after adjustments for pressure and elevation.
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Pilot and Passenger Reactions
Travelers on board the Southwest Airlines flight were initially unaware of their close brush. Passenger Emily Novak later described to CNN affiliate WOWT that the crew responded nonchalantly.
“The pilot kept everyone so calm. There was no panic on the plane at all that I noticed. We didn’t realize what had happened until we saw the video.”
Todd Engel, another passenger, remembered noticing the plane accelerating suddenly.
“I always pray before I fly, and I said another when the plane accelerated again during landing,” he said. “The pilot later told me there was a plane on the runway.”
The flight landed safely about 10 minutes later after making a circular route around the airport.
FAA Investigation and Safety Concerns
This was only 90 minutes after another air safety scare at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport when an American Airlines flight had to abort its landing to clear a departing plane.
These back-to-back events have set off alarms over the prevalence of runway incursions—cases in which planes accidentally enter active runways. During January 2023 and September 2024, the NTSB analyzed 13 commercial flight runway incursions. These varied from harmless incidents with no immediate safety impacts to near-crashes such as the one at Midway Airport.
Transportation Secretary’s Warning
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy highlighted the need for pilots to heed air traffic control directions.
“It is critical that pilots comply with air traffic controller instructions. If they don’t, their licenses will be revoked,” Duffy said in a social media statement.
The FAA is also examining audio recordings from Midway’s air traffic control tower. Preliminary reports indicate the Flexjet pilot misinterpreted instructions, which resulted in the near-mishap.
What Happens Next
The FAA and NTSB will also continue to investigate the incident. They will examine flight data, communication records, and operational practices to see if further safety precautions are necessary.
In the meantime, Southwest Airlines has assured passengers that safety is still their number one concern.
“The crew stuck to safety protocols, and the flight landed safely,” a Southwest representative said.
Although this near disaster came to no harm, it is a sobering reminder of the need for stringent air traffic control compliance and continuous enhancement in aviation safety measures.
