Federal investigators are looking into a close call at New York’s LaGuardia Airport earlier this month, where two planes nearly collided on a runway despite the airport being equipped with an advanced ground radar system designed to prevent such incidents.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed on Monday that they are investigating the May 6 incident, in which a Republic Airways jet was forced to abort takeoff because a United Airlines plane was still taxiing across the runway.
Audio obtained by ABC News from LiveATC.net captured a controller telling the Republic pilot: “Sorry, I thought United had cleared well before that.”
At the time, one controller had cleared the Republic jet for takeoff while another, on a different radio frequency, was redirecting the United plane after it missed its designated taxiway exit.
United Airlines did not immediately respond to inquiries, while Republic Airways and airport officials deferred questions to the FAA.
The incident adds to growing concerns over runway safety. The number of near collisions has remained steady over the past decade, with roughly 30 incursions per million takeoffs and landings. While most are minor, 2023 saw 22 serious runway incursions—those with high collision risk—though that number dropped to seven last year, according to FAA data.
LaGuardia is among just 35 U.S. airports equipped with the FAA’s top-tier surface surveillance system, ASDE-X, which tracks aircraft and vehicles on the ground. The other 490 control-towered airports rely on visual tracking methods, such as binoculars, due to the high cost of the technology.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has proposed expanding ASDE-X and similar systems nationwide as part of a broader modernization plan, but it requires Congressional approval.
Still, the recent LaGuardia incident shows the limitations of even the most advanced systems. The FAA plans to install an additional warning system at the airport and is exploring technologies that would alert pilots directly of runway hazards, rather than relying solely on air traffic controllers. A system under development by Honeywell has yet to receive FAA certification.
The ongoing focus on runway safety stems in part from historical tragedies, including the deadliest aviation accident on record—a 1977 runway collision in Tenerife, Spain, that killed 583 people.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed on Monday that they are investigating the May 6 incident, in which a Republic Airways jet was forced to abort takeoff because a United Airlines plane was still taxiing across the runway.
Audio obtained by ABC News from LiveATC.net captured a controller telling the Republic pilot: “Sorry, I thought United had cleared well before that.”
At the time, one controller had cleared the Republic jet for takeoff while another, on a different radio frequency, was redirecting the United plane after it missed its designated taxiway exit.
United Airlines did not immediately respond to inquiries, while Republic Airways and airport officials deferred questions to the FAA.
The incident adds to growing concerns over runway safety. The number of near collisions has remained steady over the past decade, with roughly 30 incursions per million takeoffs and landings. While most are minor, 2023 saw 22 serious runway incursions—those with high collision risk—though that number dropped to seven last year, according to FAA data.
LaGuardia is among just 35 U.S. airports equipped with the FAA’s top-tier surface surveillance system, ASDE-X, which tracks aircraft and vehicles on the ground. The other 490 control-towered airports rely on visual tracking methods, such as binoculars, due to the high cost of the technology.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has proposed expanding ASDE-X and similar systems nationwide as part of a broader modernization plan, but it requires Congressional approval.
Still, the recent LaGuardia incident shows the limitations of even the most advanced systems. The FAA plans to install an additional warning system at the airport and is exploring technologies that would alert pilots directly of runway hazards, rather than relying solely on air traffic controllers. A system under development by Honeywell has yet to receive FAA certification.
The ongoing focus on runway safety stems in part from historical tragedies, including the deadliest aviation accident on record—a 1977 runway collision in Tenerife, Spain, that killed 583 people.
