One plane was taking off, another landing at a Florida airport. Then there was a crisis

Ryan Ballogg
·2 min read
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Federal aviation authorities have opened an investigation of a close call between two planes at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport in February.

Here’s what to know:

What happened on the runway?

Takeoff and landing: On Feb. 16, “an Air Canada Rouge A-321 was cleared for takeoff on Runway 14 as an American Airlines B-737 was cleared to land on the same runway,” the National Transportation Safety Board said in a social media post.

Danger averted: The NTSB said that danger was averted when the American Airlines crew “self-initiated a go-around.” A go-around is an aviation term for when pilots decide to abort a landing during the plane’s final approach to the runway.

Where were the planes coming and going from?

The two flights: The Air Canada flight was bound for Toronto, Canada, and the American Airlines flight was incoming from Charlotte, North Carolina, the agency said.

What about the investigations?

From NTSB and FAA: A preliminary report on the incident is expected in two to three weeks, the NTSB said Tuesday. The Federal Aviation Administration is also investigating the incident.

How close of a call?

Aborted landing: The planes were about 3,100 feet apart when the American Airlines crew aborted the landing, the FAA said in a statement to media outlets. No other information was provided.

Reaction: Rick Piccolo, president and CEO of Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, declined to comment on the incident Tuesday. “It’s an air traffic issue; we have no jurisdiction,” he said, referring questions to the NTSB, the FAA and the U.S. Department of Transportation.