Shocking footage has emerged showing a Southwest Airlines jet narrowly avoiding a collision with a private plane on the runway at Chicago Midway Airport.
The incident took place on February 25 at around 8:50 a.m. local time when Southwest Flight 2504, arriving from Omaha, Nebraska, was attempting to land. Meanwhile, a private Bombardier Challenger 350 jet, headed to Knoxville, Tennessee, was taking off.
Audio from LiveATC.net reveals that air traffic control gave instructions to the private jet, but it ultimately ended up on the same runway as the incoming Southwest flight. To avoid a collision, the Southwest crew performed a go-around, according to reports from CNN.
Fortunately, the Southwest plane was able to complete the maneuver safely and land without incident. A spokesperson from Southwest Airlines confirmed that the crew followed safety protocols, emphasizing that the safety of their customers and employees is their top priority.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the incident, along with several other recent aviation events.
On February 17, Delta Air Lines Flight 4819 crashed and flipped upside down at Toronto Airport. Fortunately, all 80 passengers onboard were safely evacuated.
This incident follows a collision between an American Airlines plane and a Black Hawk military helicopter at Ronald Reagan National Airport in January, as the aircraft were coming in to land.
An expert has since provided insights into why there seems to be a recent increase in plane crashes.
Aviation expert Jason Matzus, an attorney at Matzus Law, explained to the US Sun that while these incidents are tragic, the likely cause is “random clustering.” This phenomenon occurs when multiple crashes happen in a short period, skewing our perception and making it seem like there’s an increasing trend in plane crashes. In reality, these incidents, despite being close together, are coincidental and not indicative of a systemic safety issue.
Matzus also noted that media coverage often amplifies our perception of an increase. Statistically, he emphasized, air travel remains “the safest form of travel” and the recent spate of crashes doesn’t necessarily point to an actual rise in their frequency.
