(DailyEmailNews.com) – American skies are becoming increasingly dangerous as two passenger jets almost collide, narrowly avoiding becoming another entry in a long list of recent aerial disasters.
Specifically, a Southwest Airlines passenger flight almost turned into a massive tragedy when a private jet violated air traffic control instructions and taxied directly into its landing path.
Watch the video down below.
The Southwest Airlines flight was carrying passengers from Omaha to Chicago’s Midway Airport.
It came within seconds of a catastrophic collision when a FlexJet business aircraft inexplicably taxied onto an active runway despite repeated warnings from air traffic controllers.
Southwest pilots acted quickly, executing an emergency “go-around” maneuver that prevented what could have been a deadly crash with the unauthorized private jet.
“It is considered a higher workload maneuver. You’re in the mindset of, OK, we’re coming in to land,” said Romeoville’s Lewis University Aviation Chair Dr. Ryan Phillips.
“And then, to go from that to having to add throttle and climb out again. But again, it’s something that crews are trained for,” he added.
Air traffic control recordings reveal the business jet was explicitly instructed to hold position as the Southwest flight was approaching for landing.
The private jet operators ignored these critical safety commands, creating a situation where the two aircraft came within just 2,050 feet of each other – a dangerously close distance in aviation terms.
While government agencies scramble to investigate, the incident highlights growing concerns about air travel safety.
Near misses are becoming alarmingly common at major airports like Midway and O’Hare, with data indicating approximately one near collision per year at Midway alone.
This close call follows recent deadly crashes in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia that have raised serious questions about air safety oversight.
Remarkably, passengers aboard the Southwest flight were completely unaware of the danger at the time, believing the sudden climb away from the runway was merely a routine procedure.
The incident was captured on video, clearly showing the Southwest plane aborting its landing as the FlexJet aircraft crossed the runway without authorization.
Only after landing safely following the go-around did travelers learn how close they came to disaster.
Both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched investigations into the runway incursion.
The FAA is also conducting safety audits at 45 airports, including Midway, after several high-profile close calls have exposed potential systemic failures in air traffic management.
U.S. Rep.Jesús “Chuy” García (D–IL) wasted no time politicizing the incident by claiming “This is why cuts to FAA are dangerous.”
However, safety experts point to potential communication breakdowns and enforcement issues rather than funding shortfalls as the likely culprits.
FlexJet released a statement claiming they “adhere to the highest safety standards” and are “conducting a thorough investigation.”
Still, questions remain about why their aircraft failed to follow basic air traffic control instructions.
Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines emphasized that “Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of our customers and employees,” praising their flight crew’s professional response to the emergency situation.
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