Near Miss at Newark Airport: Alaska Airlines and FedEx Plane Incident

Why This Matters: This near-miss highlights the critical importance of air traffic control and safety procedures at busy airports. Investigations will aim to determine the cause and prevent future occurrences.

On March 19, 2026, an Alaska Airlines flight arriving from Portland, Oregon, and a FedEx cargo plane arriving from Memphis, Tennessee, were involved in a near-miss incident at Newark Liberty International Airport. According to FlightRadar24 data, the Alaska Airlines flight was instructed to abort its landing by air traffic control just 150 feet from the ground, as the FedEx plane was cleared to land on an intersecting runway. The Alaska plane cleared the FedEx plane by approximately 300-325 feet.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched investigations into the incident. Both FedEx and Alaska Airlines have acknowledged the event and stated that their crews followed air traffic control instructions.

This event underscores the complexities of managing air traffic at major airports and the potential risks involved in coordinating multiple aircraft movements. The investigations will likely focus on communication protocols, runway management, and adherence to safety regulations.

An Alaska Airlines flight and a FedEx cargo plane nearly collided while attempting to land on intersecting runways.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating.

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