Probe Finds Nashville Airport Nearly Directed Planes to CRASH Into Each Other

A disturbing probe out of Nashville, Tennessee, has found that air traffic controllers very nearly instructed two planes to crash into one another.

The incident happened last month – and thankfully, nobody was hurt.

At a glance:

  • A close call at Nashville International Airport occurred when an Alaska Airlines plane was cleared for takeoff while a Southwest Airlines jet was instructed to cross the same runway.
  • The Alaska Airlines pilots aborted takeoff, causing the plane’s tires to deflate due to overheating.
  • The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the incident, with no injuries reported.

A near-disaster was averted at Nashville International Airport on September 12 when an Alaska Airlines jet was cleared for takeoff while a Southwest Airlines plane was crossing the same runway. According to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Alaska Airlines pilots were forced to abort their takeoff to avoid a collision, resulting in their plane’s tires deflating due to intense braking.

The incident involved 176 passengers and crew on the Alaska Airlines plane and 141 on the Southwest flight. Thankfully, no one was injured during the incident. The NTSB, which is continuing its investigation, retrieved crucial flight data and cockpit voice recorders to piece together the timeline of events.

The sequence began when air traffic controllers instructed the Alaska Airlines crew to line up on runway 13 and await clearance for takeoff. Shortly after, another controller directed the Southwest Airlines pilots to cross the same runway. Just 15 seconds later, the Alaska jet was cleared for takeoff, creating a hazardous situation.

As the Alaska Airlines jet began its takeoff roll, the pilots noticed the potential conflict and acted quickly, aborting the takeoff. The force of the emergency braking caused the aircraft’s tires to overheat, triggering the fuse plugs to deflate all four tires on the main landing gear.

The NTSB report notes that the voice recorder on the Southwest plane was overwritten after the aircraft took off, but investigators were able to retrieve data from the Alaska Airlines plane. While this close call ended without injury, the incident highlights the critical importance of coordination between air traffic control and pilots to prevent runway incursions. The investigation will continue as the NTSB works to determine the root cause and prevent future incidents.

I wonder if the incompetence is related to the air traffic controller shortage that the airport was reporting a year ago?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsk8RGOsd3U

Could be something to it…