Video footage captures the intense moment when a Southwest Airlines jet narrowly escaped a disastrous collision with a private plane while landing at Chicago Midway Airport.Earlier on February 25, at approximately 8:50 AM local time, Southwest Flight 2504 was making its approach to land at Chicago Midway International Airport after a journey from Omaha, Nebraska.
At the same time, a private jet—a Bombardier Challenger 350—was on the runway preparing for takeoff, heading toward Knoxville, Tennessee, according to FlightRadar24.
Warning: The footage depicts a close call between two aircraft, which some viewers may find distressing.
LiveATC.net audio recordings provide insight into air traffic control communications with the private jet.Despite the provided instructions, the aircraft ended up in the direct path of the incoming Southwest Airlines flight.According to CNN, Southwest reported that the flight crew had to perform a go-around maneuver to avoid a collision.
Fortunately, after executing the go-around, the Southwest jet successfully landed at the airport without further complications.
A representative from Southwest Airlines told CNN: “The crew followed safety procedures and the flight landed without incident. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of our customers and employees.”The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into this near-miss. This incident adds to a series of aviation-related events the FAA has been reviewing in recent weeks.
Southwest said the plane landed ‘safely’Scott Olson/Getty Images
Just a few days earlier, on February 17, Delta Air Lines Flight 4819 experienced a crash at Toronto Airport, where the plane flipped upside down upon impact. Thankfully, all 80 passengers and crew members were safely evacuated.This event followed another incident in January, where an American Airlines aircraft struck a Black Hawk military helicopter while attempting to land at Ronald Reagan National Airport.
Amid these reports, aviation experts have weighed in on whether recent incidents suggest an increase in plane crashes.
