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What We Know Now About Friday Night's Near-Disaster At JFK Airport

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What We Know Now About Friday Night's Near-Disaster At JFK Airport

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What We Know Now About Friday Night’s Near-Disaster At JFK Airport

by Gary Leff on January 15, 2023

On Friday night, American Airlines flight 106 from New York JFK to London Heathrow had a near-collision with a Delta Air Lines Boeing 737 headed to Santo Domingo. The incident was first reported by aviation watchdog JonNYC.

The American plane, a 22 year old Boeing 777-200 (registration N754AN) crossed in front of the Delta jet that was in its takeoff roll. Air traffic control saw this happening and at almost the last possible moment called out to Delta to abort takeoff, out of fear the two planes would collide (“Shit! Delta 1943 cancel takeoff clearance!”).

  • The Delta flight stopped less than 1000 feet from where it would have intersected with American’s plane.
  • Runway 4L was being used for takeoffs. The American Airlines aircraft did not follow air traffic control instructions. ATC audio shows they were told to “”cross runway 31 Left at Kilo” and instead crossed runway 4 Left at Juliet, in front of the accelerating Delta Boeing 737.

The American Airlines pilots clearly got their instructions wrong. Disaster was narrowly avoided. We don’t know at this point that the accelerating Delta jet would have hit the American plane, but it might have, this was a huge mistake with potentially tragic consequences. The FAA is investigating and we’ll eventually hear much more detail.

American Airlines 106 wound up departing for London from runway 31L after a call to report the incident to JFK Tower.

The Delta flight to Santo Domingo was delayed until the next morning. In a rejected takeoff like this one, where heavy use of brakes is applied, they may have wanted to have the plane inspected by maintenance. Crew may have timed out. Or the pilots may have just called it a night, quite reasonably deciding that after a near-miss it was best not to continue. That would have been more than reasonable judgment.

As I previously shared, you can watch the two aircraft in this illustration. At 14 seconds in you see the Delta plane in its takeoff roll, aborting at the last minute as the American Airlines Boeing 777-200 crossed right in front of it.

Ultimately, based on what we know at this point, strong kudos are due both to the air traffic controller who called off the Delta 737 and to the pilots of that plane who managed to abort their takeoff and stop the aircraft before it crossed runway 31L where the Boeing widebody passed in front of it.

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About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002.

Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  1. 41e6e0bb8376b99403851c71f3843fbf?s=48&d=mm&r=gMak says:

    Really incredible to be confronted with the stark reality that despite all of the safety procedures, the system is still so ripe for a human error. I wonder if the ATC wasn’t run by an unaccountable government bureaucracy, whether they wouldn’t have moved on to a more automated and failsafe system by now.

  2. 0ade0e1dda6aa119f3ac4d941bff6e91?s=48&d=mm&r=gAnonymous says:

    I work in a different industry, but one that is comparable in terms of safety. When we have much more minor safety violations occur, with much less severe potential consequences than this, the employees involved are always immediately removed from service pending the investigation and D&A results. I’m not passing judgement on these pilots, yet anyway, but given what happened, in my industry, they would be out of service until we KNEW exactly what happened. Of course, if they were to be exonerated (which does happen) they would be made whole.

    Can SOMEONE explain to me how these pilots were allowed to continue their flight?

  3. eaa2ed303e58353321085d6d137cfcac?s=48&d=mm&r=gFr8dawg says:

    @Mak This “failsafe” system you speak of doesn’t (and won’t) exist. Mistake was made, disaster was averted, and they’ll all learn from it when the dust settles.

  4. 557bc4d760badb1172761f2097133708?s=48&d=mm&r=gSam says:

    And Mak steps up to politicize a human error. Nice job, and a bonus for just using 2 sentences.

  5. f9eb1e948e5cd237fade138e86ffc913?s=48&d=mm&r=gKen A says:

    Bless you, ATC people for saving Delta Airlines from crashing into an American Airlines aircraft.

  6. ceda28c326429ed7a6239e2d230b20cf?s=48&d=mm&r=gdrrichard says:

    “…unaccountable government bureaucracy…” and you know this how? After several hundred hours of piloting time I do agree that the FAA has serious administrative issues. But ATC runs very well as a functional organization within it, staffed by highly dedicated men and women who know what they are doing. And they are assuredly responsible for their actions. Lots of luck replacing them with computers. Who would you blame then? The programmers?

  7. ca6e576a7a7fc2c1ff6d581759b1f4ad?s=48&d=mm&r=gLee says:

    The intersection is only about 4,000 feet into 4L’s takeoff roll. The 737 requires a bit over 6,300 feet to achieve Vr and perhaps another 1,500 to 2,000 feet to hit 35 feet in altitude. (Short field procedures aren’t in play at JFK.) If the 777 was still at the intersection, there’s no question that there would have been a collision. Kudos to the ATC . . . whose name will probably never be known.

  8. ab441929e149fc48a9eccd1c788ad0bb?s=48&d=mm&r=gMark Athas says:

    Retired ATC here. Great job by JFK controller. Had two documented saves in my career. Anyone who wants a for profit or an NGO entity controlling our airports and airspace (and yes I’m aware there are contract towers in the NAS that are under federal guidelines) is either uninformed or just an ideologue with an ax to grind.

  9. b65914f3d1783fff44c1862d66f77938?s=48&d=mm&r=gTim Kelly says:

    Can anyone tell me how close Delta was to V-ONE?

  10. c3c1343a54bb6a617b57bdce13f8203b?s=48&d=mm&r=gLuke says:

    I just love all the alt-right wackjobs coming out on this post and the previous one, claiming this all could have been avoided if the FAA wasn’t run by “big gubmint.” Sure, privatize the FAA, make them a for-profit company, and watch them invest in safety the same way Southwest invests in automation.

  11. 5cc43e60635f97ba437f68184bb4f4b0?s=48&d=mm&r=gGary Leff says:

    There are serious issues that can be discussed about technical investments which can augment human judgment, in the cockpit and the tower, but air traffic control seemed to perform well here and also worth noting that most proposals to separate the ATO from FAA (and thus have work performed and regulated by separate entities) involving spinning it out into a non-profit like NavCanada rather than a for-profit entity.

  12. b0dbf71439965d06f447e320e2c9a2c6?s=48&d=mm&r=gAndy (the other one) says:

    @Mak
    You lost the argument by putting “automated” and “failsafe” in the same sentence. This is a pipe dream. These systems designed by humans, deployed by humans and operated by humans. They simply shift or attempt to shift blame to other humans – think Tesla Autopilot. They might have a better track record in the long run, but in very limited areas and using very creative KPIs.

  13. c3c1343a54bb6a617b57bdce13f8203b?s=48&d=mm&r=gLuke says:

    @Tim Kelly – I’ve heard apparently DAL1943 was at 115+ kts when they slammed on the brakes, which would be pretty close to V1. Although I think that figure might’ve just come from JonNYC’s Twitter thread, and one counter datapoint would be that the Delta pilots tell ATC they’re immediately ready to clear the active, and don’t request to hold on the runway or taxiway immediately outside, in order to let brakes cool down.

  14. c3c1343a54bb6a617b57bdce13f8203b?s=48&d=mm&r=gLuke says:

    @Gary – I’d be happy to have a serious conversation about the merits of a public-private partnership to replace the FAA. Air Traffic Control in the UK is run the same way, regulated under the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) but run by a private entity, albeit a nonprofit / NGO. But these are not serious people looking to have a serious conversation.

    Interestingly, the UK’s rail infrastructure is ALSO run under this model. All the rails in the UK are owned and maintained by NetworkRail. Passenger and freight services pay them fees to use the trackage, and in return if a service ever doesn’t run to time because of rail maintenance / infrastructure degradation issues then they owe compensation back to the service operators.

    Can you imagine the uproar if we ever moved to adopt a similar model of nationalizing all the privately-owned rail networks in the country, and then turning them over to an NGO to maintain? Incidentally, we need only look at our rail infrastructure to understand how bad truly privately-owned and maintained infrastructure can get.

  15. 5cc43e60635f97ba437f68184bb4f4b0?s=48&d=mm&r=gGary Leff says:

    “Can you imagine the uproar if we ever moved to adopt a similar model of nationalizing all the privately-owned rail networks in the country”

    Well, Amtrak… 😉

  16. c3c1343a54bb6a617b57bdce13f8203b?s=48&d=mm&r=gLuke says:

    And Amtrak works great (relatively speaking) in the Northeast Corridor, which is the only part of the country where they own the trackage! Well enough to put the AA shuttle out of business, at any rate. As an NYC resident, I can’t tell people from other parts of the country enough how pleasant it is to take an Acela from Penn Station – recently renovated with Moynihan Train Hall actually feeling like a European-style big-city hub station or terminal (which strictly speaking, Penn is not, it’s a through-station) – to Union Station in DC.

  17. 5cc43e60635f97ba437f68184bb4f4b0?s=48&d=mm&r=gGary Leff says:

    @Luke – Amtrak is terribly run, track aside, and operated to please political interests to further access to subsidies rather than operated to deliver quality service for customers where it’s actually useful and in demand

  18. 41e6e0bb8376b99403851c71f3843fbf?s=48&d=mm&r=gMak says:

    @Fr8dawg Failsafe might be slightly too strong a word, but Americans merely need to look at the privatized ATAC in that freewheeling capitalist country Canada to see how it could be improved, where automated controllers “CAATS,” “ADS-B,” and space based surveillance that have made the skies safer for everybody and where innovation has made possible routes over the North Pole which has cut millions of collective hours off of flying time between North America and Asia which never, ever, would have been possible had the self-serving revolving-door bureaucrats at the FAA been responsible for it. American provincialism prevents people in the USA from understanding how backwards its transportation system – from it’s still mostly Soviet style air infrastructure, to ports, to roads, to rail – is.

  19. 41e6e0bb8376b99403851c71f3843fbf?s=48&d=mm&r=gMak says:

    @Sam “And Mak steps up to politicize a human error. Nice job, and a bonus for just using 2 sentences.”

    Shame on me for trying to improve Air Traffic Control. I’m so embarrassed.

    Much better to allow bureaucrats with lifetime sinecures and revolving doors to lucrative gigs at Raytheon, Boeing, GE, etc. to feather their beds at the expense of public safety and innovation.

    At least I’m not as bad as the angry families of ET302 and JT610 politicizing the deaths of their loved ones by calling for accountability in the FAA and their cozy relationship with Boeing! Thanks to your admonition, I’ll never stoop so low! Thank you most gratefully!

  20. 11fabe659c47ffd8bec87ae0ce91f6e5?s=48&d=mm&r=gJoelle says:

    Pilot here… many things went wrong here and this will warrant a full investigation. For those asking, there are multiple layers of preventative measures that failed, including some that do not rely upon humans. A Runway Status Light (RWSL) system is installed at JFK, which automatically displays red lights across the runway entrance when the system detects that the runway is occupied. According to a slide from the FAA website, these lights were installed on taxiway Juliet at 4R/22L. No takeoff hold lights were installed on runway 4L, meaning that the Delta 737 would have not been able to detect the American 777 except by using the naked eye (but I can’t determine whether the American 777 was present on the runway at the time that the Delta initiated its takeoff roll). However, despite all the fancy systems, Runway Guard Lights, and lighted airport hold short signs and pavement markings it was the pilot’s decision to enter the runway. And that decision is always subject to human error.

  21. 5361a9d2c6ae72efec1d2eff7ee0698b?s=48&d=mm&r=gTim Dunn says:

    There isn’t a country in the world that has privatized ATC services that are operated for less cost or greater safety.
    Again, the problem here was that what should have been an experienced AA crew made a mistake that was counter to what ATC told them. The US aviation system is built on experienced personnel at every level. Humans do make mistakes but having enough other professionals – ATC and the DL pilots in this case – helps overcome the mistakes of others.
    Trying to turn this into a government discussion distracts from the real issue.

    The 737 might be an old aircraft type – the aircraft in question was relatively young – but Boeing still builds good brakes.

    And I expect that Delta will be asking American to pay for the expenses incurred because of the cancellation of the DL flight.

  22. 41e6e0bb8376b99403851c71f3843fbf?s=48&d=mm&r=gMak says:

    @Tim Dunn “There isn’t a country in the world that has privatized ATC services that are operated for less cost or greater safety.”

    . . . except for Canada, Germany, New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom . . . .

    I would say that there isn’t a country in the world that has privatized ATC what has not experienced lower cost, greater safety, and higher innovation that saves passengers time and saves airlines fuel, but feel free to name one if you disagree.

  23. ab441929e149fc48a9eccd1c788ad0bb?s=48&d=mm&r=gMark Athas says:

    Navcanada ATC works a fraction of the tin US ATC pushes Apples and oranges I worked with Patco rehires who managed to latch on N of our border after the 1981 strike Crackpot rhetoric aside the U.S. government is not going to relinquish control of US airspace not now not ever

  24. 557bc4d760badb1172761f2097133708?s=48&d=mm&r=gSam says:

    « @Sam “And Mak steps up to politicize a human error. Nice job, and a bonus for just using 2 sentences.”

    Shame on me for trying to improve Air Traffic Control. »

    If only you had.

  25. 5361a9d2c6ae72efec1d2eff7ee0698b?s=48&d=mm&r=gTim Dunn says:

    Mak,
    not one of the countries you mention has lower ATC user costs than the US FAA when all aircraft including general aviation aircraft are included.
    None of those countries handles anywhere near the volume, even proportional to their airspace, as the FAA.
    And you can find me statistics on safety but I don’t think ATC safety is an issue in any one of the countries you noted or the US.

    Again, the issue in this case was pilot error – which IS the single most common reason for aircraft accidents.
    We can all be thankful it was ATC and other pilots that prevented this from becoming an accident – but please don’t try to use a system that worked to push an agenda that doesn’t.

  26. 5361a9d2c6ae72efec1d2eff7ee0698b?s=48&d=mm&r=gTim Dunn says:

    The Wall Street Journal – which used real, verifiable sources for its report – states that JFK airport uses the FAA’s Airport Surface Detection System Model X which uses data from sensors to alert controllers of possible runway incursions – and the system did send a warning to controllers.
    The intersection in question also has lights indicating when it is safe to cross an intersection and those also were working.

    Navigating JFK’s airfield is a minefield on a good day but the systems worked.
    For some reason – which should become apparent – at least two AA pilots who presumably were based in NYC so should be very familiar w/ JFK – failed to follow the directions which they acknowledged to ATC and also did not realize that they were crossing a runway that was actively being used for departures while they were heading for another runway that was not being used for departures.

    again, this was a case of pilot error, not ATC failure and there is no basis that ATC anywhere else could have done this differently or better.

  27. 41e6e0bb8376b99403851c71f3843fbf?s=48&d=mm&r=gMak says:

    @Tim Dunn “not one of the countries you mention has lower ATC user costs than the US FAA when all aircraft including general aviation aircraft are included.”

    It doesn’t sound like you know much about the issue, because if you did you would know that the substantial costs of the FAA are borne by taxpayers – including those who are too poor to ever use its services – while the privatized system charges user fees paid by the people who use air traffic control services . . . airlines.

  28. 09671a7500ac37faff4ed38f9d81dbcc?s=48&d=mm&r=gJake says:

    Hey @Mak, you’re living generations behind. You should’ve said that if artificial general intelligence was implemented at JFK then this would simply never had happened.

  29. d6ff63f145a3e1ec80be115286dbb6cd?s=48&d=mm&r=gLou says:

    The AA pilots were allowed to fly as it was a possible pilot deviation from ATC commands. They even said they will check the tapes. You need to look up what the Brasher Warning FAA Order JO 7210.632 is and when it is required to be given by ATC.
    Early notification allows the pilot to learn what ATC says happened and “prepare his notes for response to the allegations.” The name comes from 1985 when Captain Jack Brasher deviated from his assigned altitude. ATC didn’t give him the advisory so his certificate revocation was reversed.
    Innocent until proved guilty

  30. 5361a9d2c6ae72efec1d2eff7ee0698b?s=48&d=mm&r=gTim Dunn says:

    Mak,
    no, the FAA is heavily funded by user fees. Aviation does not get a free ride at the expense of non-aviation user taxpayers.
    The FAA is the most cost efficient ATC provider in the world considering all-in revenue.
    And the FAA provides a number of services including pilot and aircraft certification etc – none of which are under the same organizational structure in other countries that have privatized ATC.

    Lou,
    the ATC cannot tell a pilot to return to the gate. They did tell the AA pilots to call them which they apparently did, during which they undoubtedly gather information.
    It does seem hard to believe that the AA pilots decided to continue the trip when it became immediately apparent that they were at fault.
    Let’s remember, though, that AA had a flight from JFK to LAX in which the wingtip hit the runway due to pilot error and the pilots did not initially see a need to return after takeoff.
    AA also had an A300 crash near JFK because the pilots overextended the rudder, IIRC.
    For some reason, JFK has been the scene of a disproportionate number of AA pilot-related incidents.

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About Gary Leff

Gary LeffGary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.

Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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