What could have been a two-plane collision was prevented thanks to the work of air traffic controllers.
In a released audio clip from Tuesday afternoon at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York, a controller can be heard alerting the pilot of a Delta Flight 4231 to ‘cancel take off plans’ immediately.
‘You’re lined up on the wrong runway,’ the woman told the pilot, while another controller is heard ordering the pilot of a Volaris Airlines Flight 880 to ‘go around, turn left heading 100.’
The pilot of a Delta flight was ordered to ‘cancel take off plans’ immediately after an air traffic controller informed he was lined up on the wrong runway Tuesday
The pilot of a Volaris plane was ordered to ‘go around, turn left heading 100’ as it was nearing landing
The Delta plane was already rolling down the runway as the Volaris flight approached the same one for landing
The Volaris plane coming in from Mexico had been nearing landing on Runway 13 when the pilot was ordered to change direction.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the Volaris successfully landed and Delta eventually completed it’s flight to Washington.
Volaris also released a statement on the matter Tuesday.
‘On December 5, Volaris Flight 880 – from Mexico City (MEX) to New York City (JFK) – performed a go-around procedure during its final approach in accordance with our flight operations procedures.
The close call comes days after two planes clipped one another at JFK in what a passenger called a ‘huge crash’ last Monday
The Federal Aviation Administration said Volaris successfully landed at JFK (shown) and Delta eventually completed it’s flight to Washington
‘After the go-around was executed, the airplane landed safely at JFK without an incidents.’
No one was injured from the event.
‘The safety of our passengers and crew is our highest priority, and in accordance with our procedures, Volaris will conduct an investigation to determine the factors that led to this event,’ the statement read.
Just last week, two planes clipped one another at the same airport.
While awaiting takeoff last Monday evening, a Virgin Atlantic aircraft was struck by a Egypt Air jet.
No one was injured, but one frightened passenger aboard the Virgin Atlantic described the event as a ‘huge crash,’ while speaking with the Daily Mail.
Vicky Compton, 35, said: ‘It was very scary. I could hear the engines building up. Then there was a huge almighty crash.
‘We took a picture. The Egyptian airways has clipped us … The Egyptian aircraft had a lower wing. If they had clipped the engine, it could have been a major incident.’