NTSB, FAA investigate near miss between FedEx, Alaska Airlines planes

Newark airport
Near-miss FILE PHOTO: Federal officials probe a near-miss incident at Newark Liberty International Airport. (helivideo - stock.adobe.com)

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating a near-miss between two aircraft at Newark Liberty National Airport.

The incident happened the night of March 17 when an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 overflew a FedEx Boeing 777, The Associated Press reported.

An air traffic controller told Alaska Airlines Flight 294 to abort its landing approach and circle the airport for a new approach because FedEx Flight 721 had been cleared for landing on an intersecting runway, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

Flight 294 climbed from 300 feet to 325 feet as it went over the runway, according to Reuters.

The Alaska Airlines flight was landing from Portland, Oregon, with 171 passengers and six crew members, while the FedEx flight was arriving from Memphis, Tennessee, the AP reported.

FedEx said that Flight 721 landed safely without incident, Reuters reported.

Alaska Airlines said that its “pilots are highly trained for” go arounds like what was issued in the incident.

Both the FAA and the NTSB are investigating.

Reuters explained that the FAA investigates most aircraft incidents while the NTSB investigates what the news outlet called “significant close calls.”

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