Crash averted at US airport; authorities to investigate

• FedEx cargo plane had to reverse course.
• The Boeing 767 freight airliner was several miles from the airport.
• The Southwest flight was able to depart safely.

US: According to the Federal Aviation Administration, a FedEx cargo plane attempting to land at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Saturday morning had to reverse course when another plane was permitted to depart from the same runway.

“The FedEx pilot aborted the landing and commenced a climb out,” the FAA stated in a statement.

According to the FAA, the Boeing 767 freight airliner was several miles from the airport when it was authorized to land. But, just as it was about to land, an air traffic controller cleared the way for a Southwest Airlines plane to take off.

The National Transportation Safety Board described it as a “potential runway incursion and overflight involving airplanes from Southwest Airlines and FedEx” in a tweet on Saturday.

Departed Safely

According to the FAA, the Southwest flight was able to depart safely.

The FAA and NTSB have both stated that they are looking into the event.

“FedEx Express Flight 1432 from Memphis, Tenn. to Austin, Texas successfully landed after encountering an occurrence just before landing at Austin Bergstrom International Airport this morning,” stated Shannon Davis, a FedEx representative.”

Davis and Southwest Airlines both sent more inquiries to the FAA and NTSB.

In a statement to the Associated Press, Austin-Bergstrom International said it was “informed of the Federal Aviation Administration’s inquiry into the discontinued landing of a flight. As needed, we will assist our FAA partners with their inquiry.”

A similar near-miss occurred last month at John F. Kennedy International Airport when an American Airlines plane crossed a runway while a Delta Airlines Boeing 737 plane was prepared to take off. According to the FAA, the Delta plane came to a stop around 1,000 feet (0.3 kilometers) from where the American Airlines plane had crossed from an adjacent taxiway.

Austin-Bergstrom Airport is located 5 miles (8 kilometers) southeast of downtown Austin.

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