NTSB Probes Close Call Between Jets at Newark Airport

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  • March 20, 2026 at 5:05 PM ET
  • Est. Read: 2 Mins
NTSB Probes Close Call Between Jets at Newark AirportAI-generated illustration — does not depict real events
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Key Takeaways

The NTSB and FAA are investigating a close call between an Alaska Airlines passenger jet and a FedEx cargo plane at Newark Liberty International Airport. Both planes were attempting to land on crossing runways when air traffic control instructed one flight to go around.

  • NTSB investigates near-miss incident involving two aircraft
  • Air traffic controller directed Alaska Airlines Flight 294 to perform a 'go-around'
  • FedEx Flight 721 landed safely after being cleared for final approach
  • Incident occurred amid ongoing FAA staffing shortages and recent safety concerns

Source Claims Check

High Consensus
All 3 publishers report consistent facts across 4 key claims.
ClaimStatusReason
Incident DescriptionBroad AgreementAlaska Airlines Boeing 737 overflew FedEx Boeing 777 on crossing runways at Newark Liberty Internat…
Air Traffic Control InstructionBroad AgreementAir traffic controller instructed Alaska Airlines Flight 294 to perform a 'go-around'.
Safety Of Fedex FlightBroad AgreementFedEx Flight 721 landed safely without incident.
Investigation By Ntsb And FaaBroad AgreementNTSB and FAA are investigating the close call between Alaska Airlines and FedEx planes.
Incident Description
Broad Agreement
Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 overflew FedEx Boeing 777 on crossing runways at Newark Liberty International Airport.
Air Traffic Control Instruction
Broad Agreement
Air traffic controller instructed Alaska Airlines Flight 294 to perform a 'go-around'.
Safety Of Fedex Flight
Broad Agreement
FedEx Flight 721 landed safely without incident.
Investigation By Ntsb And Faa
Broad Agreement
NTSB and FAA are investigating the close call between Alaska Airlines and FedEx planes.
This analysis is AI-generated and may not perfectly represent each source's reporting. Always read the original articles for full context.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating a close call between an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 and a FedEx Boeing 777 at Newark Liberty International Airport, according to reports from Reuters, The Guardian, and Fox News. The incident occurred Tuesday night when both planes were attempting to land on crossing runways.

An air traffic controller instructed Alaska Airlines Flight 294, arriving from Portland, Oregon, to perform a 'go-around' because FedEx Flight 721 was cleared for the final approach to an intersecting runway. The FAA confirmed it is also investigating the incident, which occurred amid ongoing concerns about staffing shortages and recent safety issues.

Alaska Airlines stated that its flight had been cleared to land at Newark when air traffic control issued the go-around instruction, noting that pilots are highly trained for such situations. There were 171 passengers and six crew members on board the Alaska Airlines flight. FedEx reported that its flight crew followed instructions from air traffic control and landed safely.

The incident comes a year after a mid-air collision between an American Airlines regional jet and an Army helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which killed 67 people. This tragedy prompted Congress to hold hearings and the FAA to implement steps to improve its air traffic control operations. The recent close call at Newark has raised further questions about the FAA's safety performance.

How this summary was created

This summary synthesizes reporting from 3 independent publishers using AI. All sources are cited and linked below. NewsBalance is a news aggregator and media literacy tool, not a news publisher. AI-generated content may contain errors or inaccuracies — always verify important information with the original sources.

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