A harrowing near-miss unfolded at John F. Kennedy International Airport Monday afternoon, as an Air Canada flight inadvertently drifted into the path of an approaching American Airlines jet. The incident triggered immediate, critical evasive maneuvers from both flight crews, narrowly averting a potential disaster.
Republic Airlines Flight 4464, operating for American Airlines, had been cleared to land on runway 31 Left around 2:30 p.m. Simultaneously, an Air Canada Jazz Aviation flight, designated 554, was descending towards the parallel runway, 31 Right. The proximity proved dangerously close.
Air traffic control recordings reveal a surge of tension as controllers scrambled to react. Blaring anti-collision alarms filled the tower and the cockpits of both aircraft, signaling the severity of the situation. Pilots immediately acknowledged “resolution advisories” – the highest level of collision warning.
The Air Canada flight was already authorized to land when the American Airlines plane deviated from its assigned flight path. Controllers swiftly issued commands, directing both aircraft to climb and alter course. “Jazz 554, climb and maintain 3,000,” a controller’s voice cut through the urgency.
The American Airlines pilot responded, confirming they were correcting their trajectory. A second controller pressed for confirmation, asking if they had the runway in sight. The pilot’s reply was stark: “We are going around.” Both planes executed the emergency procedures and ultimately landed safely.
Data from Flightradar24 indicates the two aircraft came within a terrifyingly close distance – approximately 997.79 meters apart and only 106.68 meters in altitude difference at their nearest point. The margin for error had vanished.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has launched a full investigation into the incident. Their initial statement confirms the American Airlines flight missed its approach and flew too close to the Air Canada plane, but acknowledges both flight crews responded appropriately to the onboard alerts.
This close call comes just weeks after another Air Canada incident in the New York area. In March, a tragic collision at LaGuardia Airport claimed the lives of two pilots when an Air Canada Express plane struck a fire truck on the runway, casting a somber shadow over recent aviation events.
