CHICAGO- A Southwest Airlines (WN) aircraft and a private jet narrowly avoided collision on Tuesday morning (February 26, 2025) at Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) when the private aircraft entered the runway without authorization, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Southwest Flight 2504, arriving from Omaha, Nebraska, landed safely after the flight crew executed a go-around maneuver to prevent a potential incident with the Bombardier Challenger 350 private jet that was destined for Knoxville, Tennessee.
Photo: Aero Icarus | FlickrSouthwest 737 Avoids Collision
The incident occurred around 8:50 a.m. local time and has prompted investigations by both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board.
This close call adds to a series of recent aviation safety incidents currently under investigation by federal authorities. These include a deadly midair collision over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, a Medevac jet crash in Philadelphia, and a regional airline crash off the coast of Nome, Alaska, that resulted in ten fatalities.
The near-collision at Chicago Midway International Airport unfolded through a series of miscommunications captured in air traffic control recordings obtained from LiveATC.net.
Controllers initially instructed the private Flexjet 560 to “turn left on Runway 4L, cross Runway 31L and hold short of Runway 31C.” The pilot’s response revealed confusion when replying, “Alright, left on 2 – uh – 4L, cross the 22, or 13C, Flexjet 560.”
The ground controller immediately corrected the pilot, stating firmly, “Flexjet 560, negative! Cross 31L, hold short Runway 31C.”
Tower communications later documented Southwest Flight 2504’s split-second decision to execute a go-around maneuver to avoid the private jet on the runway. Controllers responded to this emergency action with, “-southwest 2504, uh, roger that. Climb, maintain 3,000.”
After reaching the directed altitude of 3,000 feet, the Southwest pilot questioned the tower, asking, “Southwest 2504, uh, how’d that happen?”
A Southwest spokesperson emphasized the airline’s commitment to safety, stating, “The crew followed safety procedures and the flight landed without incident. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of our customers and employees.”
Photo: Southwest AirlinesLicense Revocation Warning to ATC
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy addressed the Chicago Midway incident directly on X, warning, “It is imperative that pilots follow the instructions of air traffic controllers. If they do not, their licenses will be pulled.” Duffy promised to provide additional updates as information becomes available.
Flexjet, the operator of the Bombardier Challenger 350 private jet involved in the incident, acknowledged awareness of the occurrence in a statement and confirmed they “were working to gather more information on this situation.” According to configurations posted on Flexjet’s website, their Bombardier Challenger 350 accommodates up to 9 passengers.
Flight data from FlightRadar24 revealed the aircraft came within approximately 2,050 feet of each other before the Southwest plane executed its emergency go-around maneuver. The Southwest aircraft flew over the private jet at an uncorrected pressure altitude of 900 feet, translating to approximately 250 feet above ground level after adjusting for pressure and elevation factors.
The incident adds to a concerning pattern of runway safety issues. Between January 2023 and September 2024, the National Transportation Safety Board investigated 13 runway incursions involving commercial or for-hire flights, with severity ranging from incidents having “no immediate safety consequences” to situations where aircraft “narrowly” avoided collision.
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