Runway near‑miss at Newark
NTSB is investigating a near‑miss at Newark Liberty after an Alaska Airlines 737 and a FedEx 777 reportedly lined up on intersecting runways — investigators are using FlightRadar24 data to reconstruct the event. The probe underscores increasing scrutiny on airport operations and separation procedures. (x.com)
The event occurred the evening of March 17, 2026 at about 8:15–8:17 p.m. Eastern and involved Alaska Airlines Flight AS294 from Portland and FedEx Flight FX721 from Memphis. (flightradar24.com) Federal flight-tracking playback shows AS294 had been cleared to land on Runway 22L while FX721 was cleared to land on Runway 29, with controllers planning the FedEx jet to land ahead of the Alaska flight. (flightradar24.com) Air traffic control instructed AS294 to “go around” when sequencing showed it would not land behind the FedEx, and ADS‑B barometric data indicates the 737 climbed from roughly 300 to 325 feet as it passed over the FedEx. (flightradar24.com) The Alaska aircraft was a Boeing 737‑MAX 9 carrying 171 passengers and six crew, and the other aircraft was a FedEx Boeing 777F; both aircraft completed safe landings and no injuries or damage were reported. (aerotime.aero) The NTSB announced a formal probe on March 19 and the FAA confirmed controllers issued the go‑around instruction; both agencies said they will review ATC audio and recorded flight data as part of their inquiries. (aerotime.aero) Flightradar24 published a playback of the approaches and noted its ADS‑B-derived barometric altitudes show the crossing height, while investigators have said onboard radar‑altimeter records will give a more precise measurement. (flightradar24.com)
