American Airlines flight 308, bound for Bermuda, aborted takeoff at Miami International Airport on Friday after a business jet crossed the active runway, bringing the planes within about a third of a mile of each other.
According to air traffic controller instructions, traffic on the runways was moving by command, but a catastrophic accident was averted by alert pilots using visual confirmation in the AA cockpit and not relying on instrumentation.
After receiving clearance, American Airlines flight 308 discontinued its takeoff when the crew observed another aircraft on the runway. "We appreciate the quick actions of our crew members and thank our customers for their understanding," American Airlines said in a statement.
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident, stating that the other aircraft had been crossing "without authorization." Audio recordings of air traffic control communications revealed the near-tragedy.
"You just crossed an active runway," an air traffic controller told the business jet pilot after the incident. "You just told me to cross the runway, sir," the pilot replied. "No, we said Amerijet 461," the controller responded.
The American Airlines flight was cleared for takeoff on runway eight in Miami, while the business jet, operated by a third-party maintenance vendor, mistakenly believed clearance from air traffic control was intended for it.
RNAV Jamba was instructed to clear for takeoff 8R, while Amerijet 461 was told to cross runway eight left and hold short of runway eight right. A NetJets spokesperson stated that "EJA434 was not under NetJets' operational control at the time of the encounter."
The American Airlines flight 308 later departed Miami for Bermuda, arriving around two hours late, according to tracking data. This incident comes as airports prepare for heavy July 4 travel and follows a series of recent close calls involving commercial aircraft and runway traffic.
Recent close calls include an Air Canada flight that crash-landed after an emergency truck mistakenly crossed an active runway, as well as a United Airlines near miss with a drone and a near miss between an American Airlines plane and a Delta jet at Boston Logan International Airport.
Aviation experts have estimated that in some of these incidents, the aircraft came within a few hundred feet of each other, highlighting the importance of attention and safety in air traffic control.
