Both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating a runway incursion that took place Thursday morning in Nashville, Tenn. The incident involved a Los Angeles-bound Alaska Boeing 737 MAX 9 and Southwest 737-700 headed for Jacksonville.
According to reports, the Alaska flight was cleared to depart from Nashville International Airport’s runway 13 before rejecting the takeoff at a ground speed of roughly 100 knots. The Southwest flight was cleared to cross the same runway while taxiing for departure.
“The crew of Alaska Airlines Flight 369 discontinued their takeoff because Southwest Airlines Flight 2029 was cleared to cross the end of the same runway at Nashville International Airport. The Alaska Airlines crew reported blown tires during braking,” an FAA spokesperson told Times Now in a statement.
The NTSB also confirmed that it is investigating the incident.
No injuries were reported as a result of the incursion. Photos on social media show the Alaska aircraft with deflated tires, likely due to the hot brake temperatures.
The FAA is investigating a potential near collision that occurred between an Alaska Airlines Boeing B737MAX9 aircraft (N919AK) and a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700 aircraft in Nashville.
The Alaska Airlines deflated the tires in the act of aborting the take-off, to avoid a… pic.twitter.com/RibsttbyH6
— FL360aero (@fl360aero) September 12, 2024
Just a day before, the FAA published a statement on its website that said serious runway incursions were trending down during the first half of 2024. The agency stated that serious runway incursion rates (Category A and B) decreased by 62% compared to the same period last year.
