Pilots of Southwest Airlines mistakenly attempting takeoff on a taxiway prevented by air traffic controller in Orlando.
A Boeing 737 piloted by Southwest Airlines had quite a close call last Thursday at Orlando International Airport. Instead of taking off from a runway, the plane started accelerating on a parallel taxiway, causing an air traffic controller to step in and cancel the takeoff clearance.
The flight, en route to Albany, New York, was granted permission to takeoff from a runway, but the pilots mistook the taxiway for their intended path. This mix-up is a rather uncommon scenario, but it can be a significant safety concern.
Southwest Airlines confirmed the incident, stating that the crew "mistook the surface for the nearby runway." They reported working closely with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to investigate the causes of this near miss.
Thankfully, the plane came to a safe stop without any collision with other aircraft, and the passengers were later flown to Albany on a different plane.
This incident comes on the heels of a string of aviation mishaps across the globe. Lately, there have been near misses, crash landings, accidents, and even fatal collisions, such as the American Airlines flight that collided with a US Army helicopter in Washington, D.C.
In a chilling incident, a Bering Air regional flight in Alaska, which occurred on February 6th, claimed the lives of all ten passengers on board. The NTSB highlighted that the plane was overweight before takeoff, and it was later found on ice in Alaska's Norton Sound.
Additionally, Canada's Transportation Safety Board recently published a preliminary report on a February 17th incident at Toronto Pearson International Airport. A Delta Air Lines regional jet flipped over upon landing, leaving passengers "hanging like bats". Incredibly, all 80 passengers and crew on board managed to escape unscathed.
On February 25th, Southwest Flight 2504 from Omaha experienced a harrowing episode while landing at Chicago Midway Airport's runway 31C. A private Bombardier Challenger 350 crossed the runway, with the pilots reporting they believed they were in the right place, crossing a different runway at the time of the incident. Upon closer inspection, the GPS antennas of the two aircraft were separated by approximately 200 feet.
Incidents like these highlight the importance of advanced navigation systems, comprehensive pilot training, effective communication, well-designed airports, and careful attention to detail to prevent such errors and ensure a safe flight experience for all.
On Wednesday, the crew of Southwest Airlines Flight 3278, which had a near miss last Thursday at Orlando International Airport, were prompted to work closely with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to investigate the causes of the incident. Despite the close call, the passengers on the initial flight eventually reached Albany, New York, on a different plane after the initial incident.
With this recent near miss adding to the string of aviation mishaps globally, it is crucial that airlines prioritize advanced navigation systems, comprehensive pilot training, effective communication, well-designed airports, and careful attention to detail to prevent future incidents and ensure a safe travel experience for passengers.
In a more tragic turn of events, a Bering Air regional flight in Alaska on February 6th resulted in the loss of all ten passengers on board after the plane took off overweight. This incident serves as a grim reminder of the significance of meticulous pre-flight preparation and adherence to safety regulations for safe air travel.
