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       lite.cnn.com - on gopher - inofficial
       
       
       ARTICLE VIEW: 
       
       Collision narrowly avoided at Reagan National Airport after two jets
       were cleared onto the same runway
       
       By Gregory Wallace and Pete Muntean, CNN
       
       Updated: 
       
       5:15 PM EDT, Thu April 18, 2024
       
       Source: CNN
       
       The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating how two jetliners
       were put on an apparent collision course as they were leaving Reagan
       National Airport Thursday morning, prompting air traffic controllers to
       frantically radio each plane to stop.
       
       Air traffic control audio recordings detail controllers shouting for a
       JetBlue flight to stop its takeoff run as a Southwest Airlines flight
       began taxiing across the runway in front of it.
       
       The two planes stopped about 400 feet apart, according to data compiled
       by FlightRadar24, which also shows at least the “forward fuselage”
       of the Southwest flight had entered the runway.
       
       A controller responsible for the runways at Reagan National had cleared
       the JetBlue Airways flight to take off at about 7:40 a.m., the
       recordings from LiveATC.net showed. At around the same time, a
       controller responsible for taxiing aircraft directed a Southwest
       Airlines jet across the same runway.
       
       About 30 seconds after clearing the JetBlue plane, the controllers
       shouted for both planes to stop.
       
       “JetBlue 1554 stop! 1554 stop!” the tower controller called out.
       
       “2937 stop!” the ground controller ordered.
       
       The Southwest pilot replied: “We stopped. We were cleared to cross
       Runway 4.”
       
       The FAA said it will investigate the incident and acknowledged in a
       statement to CNN that both planes were sent onto the runway.
       
       “An air traffic controller instructed Southwest Airlines Flight 2937
       to cross Runway 4 at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport while
       JetBlue Flight 1554 was starting its takeoff roll on the same
       runway,” the FAA said.
       
       Following the incident, the JetBlue plane taxied back to the runway
       threshold and then took off for Boston Logan.
       
       “Do you have room to get around the Southwest or even double back on
       Runway 4 full length?” the controller asked.
       
       “Looks like we can make a left on Alpha, JetBlue 1554,” the pilot
       replied.
       
       The Southwest plane was directed to continue across that runway and
       taxi toward a second runway, where it took off as planned, bound for
       Orlando.
       
       JetBlue said its Boston-bound flight “aborted take-off due to another
       aircraft attempting to cross the runway.” The plane was inspected
       and then departed safely, the airline said.
       
       “We are aware of the incident and are working with the FAA to fully
       understand the circumstances,” Southwest Airlines told CNN.
       
       CNN has reached out to the National Transportation Safety Board to see
       if it plans to investigate the incident.
       
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