A Delta Air Lines jet was forced to abort its landing at Boston Logan International Airport last Saturday after coming perilously close to another aircraft on the ground. The incident, which saw the arriving Delta flight come within approximately 300 feet (90 metres) of an American Airlines plane, has prompted a full investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The near-miss involved Delta flight 2351, which was arriving from Dallas, and an American Airlines aircraft departing from an intersecting runway. According to flight logs and the FAA, the Delta crew had to execute a 'go-around' – a standard procedure where an aborted landing is performed – to avoid the potential collision. A Delta spokesperson confirmed that the crew coordinated the manoeuvre with air traffic control. The aircraft, carrying 129 passengers and six crew members, subsequently landed safely without further incident.
Todd Curtis, a former Boeing safety engineer and co-producer of a flight safety podcast, estimated the close proximity using flight tracking data. He described the event as a "significant incident," expressing particular concern given that it involved two professional airline crews. Curtis highlighted ongoing worries among federal aviation officials regarding such runway incursions, predicting intense scrutiny of Saturday's event as part of a wider pattern of similar incidents.
This latest near-miss occurs just days before a crucial hearing on Capitol Hill. The Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation is scheduled to convene to address the increasing number of near-misses and runway incursions at airports across the United States. The hearing aims to explore ways to enhance safety within the national airspace, a topic that has gained urgency following a series of similar incidents in recent months.
The FAA maintains that 'go-arounds' are considered safe and routine procedures, performed at the discretion of either the pilot or air traffic controllers to ensure safety. While often prompted by factors such as unstable approaches or unexpected runway obstructions, the circumstances surrounding this particular incident at one of America's busiest airports are now the focus of a detailed inquiry.