The Federal Aviation Administration has launched an investigation into a close call between two commercial aircraft at Boston Logan International Airport Saturday morning, the latest incident raising questions about aviation safety protocols as air traffic rebounds to pre-pandemic levels.
A Delta Air Lines flight from Dallas was forced to execute a go-around to avoid an American Airlines plane departing from an intersecting runway, according to the FAA and flight logs. The crew of Delta flight 2351 coordinated with air traffic control to perform the aborted landing maneuver. The aircraft carried 129 passengers and six crew members, all of whom landed safely on a subsequent approach and deplaned normally, according to a Delta spokesperson.
The Incident Details
Go-arounds are safe, routine procedures performed at the discretion of the pilot or air traffic controllers, according to the FAA. However, the circumstances requiring such maneuvers warrant scrutiny when they involve potential runway conflicts between commercial carriers at major hub airports. American Airlines and Boston Logan International Airport both referred requests for comment to the FAA, declining to provide additional details about the operational circumstances that led to the near-miss.
The investigation comes as the aviation industry operates under intense pressure to maintain safety standards while managing increased flight volumes and addressing ongoing workforce challenges in air traffic control facilities nationwide.
Recent Aviation Accidents
The close call occurred amid multiple aviation accidents in recent days, highlighting broader safety concerns across the industry. On Saturday, a founder of a gaming company was killed in a plane crash in France. Earlier this week, a business jet crashed in Laredo, Texas, killing one person on board.
A B-52 crashed Monday during a test flight at Edwards Air Force Base in California and killed all eight people aboard. Last Sunday, 12 people were killed when a plane on a skydiving outing in Missouri crashed.
While these incidents involve different aircraft types and operational contexts, their clustering raises questions about whether federal aviation oversight and safety protocols are keeping pace with the demands placed on the national airspace system.
Why This Matters:
This incident underscores the critical importance of maintaining robust air traffic control systems and operational discipline at major airports. With the FAA operating under significant budgetary and staffing constraints, close calls at busy hub airports like Boston Logan highlight the need for continued investment in aviation infrastructure and personnel training. The traveling public depends on rigorous safety protocols, and any degradation in operational standards poses unacceptable risks to passengers and crew. As commercial aviation continues recovering to full capacity, ensuring adequate resources for air traffic control and airport operations remains essential to preventing potentially catastrophic incidents. The investigation's findings will be crucial in determining whether systemic issues require immediate regulatory or operational corrections.