Current:Home > NewsSafeX Pro:A Learjet pilot thought he was cleared to take off. He wasn’t. Luckily, JetBlue pilots saw him -Capitatum
SafeX Pro:A Learjet pilot thought he was cleared to take off. He wasn’t. Luckily, JetBlue pilots saw him
Ethermac Exchange View
Date:2025-04-06 05:59:30
Federal investigators said Thursday that the pilot of a charter jet took off without permission,SafeX Pro creating a “conflict” with a JetBlue plane that was preparing to land on an intersecting runway at Boston’s Logan International Airport in February.
A screen grab from video shot from the JetBlue cockpit captures the moment the Learjet operated by charter service Hop-A-Jet crossed the runway just in front of the JetBlue plane.
The JetBlue Embraer jet came within 30 feet (9 meters) of the ground, but the pilots were able to pull up and circle around for another landing attempt, according to a report from the National Transportation Safety Board.
The captain of the Hop-A-Jet said he heard air traffic controllers tell him to line up and wait before taking off — and even repeated the order back to the controller — “but in his mind, they were cleared for takeoff,” the NTSB said.
Once the Hop-A-Jet plane landed in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the 63-year-old captain and 23-year-old co-pilot were told by the Boston tower that they had taken off without authorization and that the JetBlue plane passed about 400 feet (120 meters) above them as it performed a go-around, the NTSB said in its final report.
The incident was one of several early this year that raised alarms about aviation safety in the United States despite the lack of a fatal crash involving a U.S. airline since 2009. The close calls led the Federal Aviation Administration to convene a “safety summit” in March to brainstorm ways to prevent planes from coming too close together.
veryGood! (2)
Related
- RFK Jr. grilled again about moving to California while listing New York address on ballot petition
- From TV to Telegram to TikTok, Moldova is being flooded with Russian propaganda
- Bruce Willis and Demi Moore's Daughter Tallulah Willis Weighs in on Nepo Baby Debate
- Ukraine's counteroffensive against Russia can't come soon enough for civilians dodging Putin's bombs
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
- The Bachelor's Zach Shallcross Admits He's So Torn Between His Finalists in Finale Sneak Peek
- Willie Mae Thornton was a foremother of rock. These kids carry her legacy forward
- How Saturday Night Live's Chloe Fineman Became Friends with Anna Delvey IRL
- US appeals court rejects Nasdaq’s diversity rules for company boards
- 'Like a Dragon: Ishin!' Review: An epic samurai tale leaves Japan for the first time
Ranking
- Olympic disqualification of gold medal hopeful exposes 'dark side' of women's wrestling
- Stylist Law Roach Reveals the Scariest Part of His Retirement Journey
- Vanderpump Rules’ Ariana Madix Joins Scheana Shay and Lala Kent for Relaxing Outing Before Reunion
- The Masked Singer: A WWE Star and a Beloved Actress Are Revealed
- Intel's stock did something it hasn't done since 2022
- 'The Last of Us' game actors and creator discuss the show's success
- Looking to watch porn in Louisiana? Expect to hand over your ID
- Best games of 2022 chosen by NPR
Recommendation
Blake Lively’s Inner Circle Shares Rare Insight on Her Life as a Mom to 4 Kids
'Like a Dragon: Ishin!' Review: An epic samurai tale leaves Japan for the first time
Ukraine's counteroffensive against Russia can't come soon enough for civilians dodging Putin's bombs
Pat Sajak Celebrates Wheel of Fortune Perfect Game By Putting Winner in an Armlock
Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
NPR staff review the best new games and some you may have missed
Lea Michele's 2-Year-Old Son Ever Leo Hospitalized for Scary Health Issue
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story Trailer Reveals the Most High-Stakes Love Story Yet