Pilots of a Southwest Airlines flight had to abort their landing at Chicago’s Midway Airport on Tuesday morning to avoid a potential collision with a smaller jet crossing the runway. A webcam video, which quickly went viral on social media platform X, captured the dramatic moment just before 9 a.m., showing the Southwest flight pulling up abruptly as the smaller aircraft entered the runway.
Precautionary Go-Around and Audio Mishaps
According to an airline spokesperson, Southwest Flight 2504 executed a precautionary go-around in accordance with safety protocols, and subsequently landed safely without further incident. An audio recording of communications between the control tower and the pilot of the smaller jet revealed a mix-up: the pilot initially misheard instructions, prompting the tower to issue a “hold short” command, followed shortly by a “hold your position there” directive.
WATCH THE VIRAL VIDEO:
Chicago airport earlier this morning 😳@AirNavRadar pic.twitter.com/BueSghL3mm
— Flight Emergency (@FlightEmergency) February 25, 2025
A Series of Aviation Disasters in North America
This incident comes amid a recent spate of aviation mishaps across North America:
- On February 6, a commuter plane crashed in Alaska, claiming all 10 lives on board.
- On January 26, an Army helicopter collided mid-air with an American Airlines flight at Washington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport, resulting in 67 fatalities.
- On January 31, a medical transport jet carrying a child patient, her mother, and four others crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood, killing all seven on board and injuring 19 others.
- In a separate incident, on February 17, a Delta flight overturned and landed on its roof at Toronto’s Pearson Airport, injuring 21 people.
Ongoing Concerns and Safety Measures
Authorities continue to investigate the Midway incident, while the series of recent aviation disasters have reignited concerns over safety and operational protocols across the continent. As airlines and regulatory bodies work to address these challenges, the focus remains on ensuring that such incidents are minimized and that passengers are kept safe.
