Southwest Flight WN2504 had a near-miss incident at Chicago Midway today when FlexJet Flight LXJ560 crossed Runway 31C.

[earthquake]

 

[earthquake]

Southwest Airlines plane aborts landing to avoid colliding with private jet at Chicago Midway Airport​

By Alexandra Skores, CNN
3 minute read

Updated 2:59 PM EST, Tue February 25, 2025

A Southwest Airlines plane and a private jet that entered the runway without authorization experienced a close call at Chicago Midway International Airport on Tuesday morning, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

Southwest Flight 2504 landed safely at the Chicago airport after the flight crew had to perform a go-around to prevent a potential incident, according to Southwest.

The FAA is investigating the incident, which took place at around 8:50 a.m. local time.

The close call comes as the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA are investigating a string of safety incidents in recent weeks, including the deadly midair collision over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, a Medevac jet crash in Philadelphia and a deadly regional airline crash off the coast of Nome, Alaska.

In the Chicago incident, the Southwest plane was arriving from Omaha, Nebraska, and the private jet, a Bombardier Challenger 350, was headed to Knoxville, Tennessee, according to FlightRadar24.

Air traffic control instructed the private jet to turn left on “Runway 4L, cross Runway 31L and hold short of Runway 31C,” according to audio from LiveATC.net.

The pilot replies saying, “Alright, left on 2 – uh – 4L, cross the 22, or 13C, Flexjet 560.”

Then the air traffic controller on the ground immediately replies to the pilot, “Flexjet 560, negative! Cross 31L, hold short Runway 31C.”

Air traffic control audio from the tower also shows the moment the pilot of the Southwest plane chose to perform the go-around to avoid the private jet on the runway.

Air traffic controllers reply, “-west 2504, uh, roger that. Climb, maintain 3,000.”

Once the plane reached 3,000 feet in the air, the pilot asked the tower, “Southwest 2504, uh, how’d that happen?”

“The crew followed safety procedures and the flight landed without incident,” a Southwest spokesperson said in an email to CNN. “Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of our customers and employees.”

Flexjet, the company operating the Bombardier Challenger 350, is “aware of the occurrence” in Chicago and “was working to gather more information on this situation,” a spokesperson said in a statement. The private jet can seat up to 9 passengers, according to configurations posted on Flexjet’s website.

The planes came as close as approximately 2,050 feet before the Southwest plane initiated the go-around, according to FlightRadar24.

The Southwest plane flew over the private jet at an uncorrected pressure altitude of 900 feet, which was approximately 250 feet above ground after adjusting for pressure and elevation, FlightRadar24 said.

A spokesperson for the NTSB said the agency is “aware” of the event and is “gathering information about it.” Between January 2023 and September 2024, the NTSB investigated 13 runway incursions involving commercial, or for-hire, flights.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

CNN’s Andy Rose, Sara Smart, Sharif Paget and Pete Muntean contributed to this report.

 

[bobby]

Another DEI pilot ?

 

[earthquake]

If @sbfuncle is Southwest plane pilot and @NanoSpeed is private Flexjet pilot...

@sbfuncle : knnbccb, you makchew tak stamp is it? can't u see me landing???!!!

@NanoSpeed : cb you, why you speeding when landing your cheebye plane???!!! knn

 

[earthquake]

Another DEI pilot ?

More like Flexjet pilot pretended can't hear control tower instructions to cut queue...

Air traffic control instructed the private jet to turn left on “Runway 4L, cross Runway 31L and hold short of Runway 31C,” according to audio from LiveATC.net.

The pilot replies saying, “Alright, left on 2 – uh – 4L, cross the 22, or 13C, Flexjet 560.”

Then the air traffic controller on the ground immediately replies to the pilot, “Flexjet 560, negative! Cross 31L, hold short Runway 31C.”

 

[NanoSpeed]

If @sbfuncle is Southwest plane pilot and @NanoSpeed is private Flexjet pilot...

@sbfuncle : knnbccb, you makchew tak stamp is it? can't u see me landing???!!!

@NanoSpeed : cb you, why you speeding when landing your cheebye plane???!!! knn

Both of us are not foul mouthed. Unlike my ex mentor, we subscribed to a Code of Honour - however upset, we don't "greet" people's mother and female family members to vent our frustrations which have nothing to do with them. If we did otherwise, it would reflect badly on our parents. This is called 修養。

 

[NanoSpeed]

The airport must have employed 'N' level calibre like me as air traffic controllers.

This is why it's important to identify the JLBs during young. Once certified as JLB, just give them a CHAS card, more CDC vouchers and make them stay at home most of the time. The world will become safer.

 

[syed putra]

Bombardier AND Boeing jets again.

 

[sbfuncle]

If @sbfuncle is Southwest plane pilot and @NanoSpeed is private Flexjet pilot...

@sbfuncle : knnbccb, you makchew tak stamp is it? can't u see me landing???!!!

@NanoSpeed : cb you, why you speeding when landing your cheebye plane???!!! knn

I will tell the atc and @NanoSpeed KNN there are so many runways why you all must kachow my landing KNN

 

[sbfuncle]

The airport must have employed 'N' level calibre like me as air traffic controllers.

This is why it's important to identify the JLBs during young. Once certified as JLB, just give them a CHAS card, more CDC vouchers and make them stay at home most of the time. The world will become safer.

The opposite is also true.

During my John lone time I was accepted by caas as atco after passing the aptitude test. Unfortunately I failed the medical assessment subsequently due to metal implant in leg after a motosikal accident.
At that time sph said atco career will not last long as it will be automated in a few years time . I knew it was bullshit and went ahead to apply. How could they risk such role to automation I thought.

Later part I became KCB and Jlb like you. Wtf my life is destined to be a Jlb and gambler.

 

[earthquake]

Southwest pilot is CECA...very heavy accent

 

[syed putra]

Southwest pilot is CECA...very heavy accent

I believe it's the ATC that heavy accented. Maybe spics.