FAA Probes Nashville Near Miss After Southwest Jets Come Within 500 Feet
Two Southwest Airlines planes nearly collided over Nashville last Saturday when air traffic control routed a go-around into a departing flight's path.
The incident occurred around 5:30 p.m. local time near Nashville International Airport. Southwest Flight 507 from Myrtle Beach executed a precautionary go-around because of gusty winds and was instructed to turn right. At the same time departing Southwest Flight 1152 to Knoxville lifted from a parallel runway and passed above Flight 507.
The Federal Aviation Administration says air traffic control instructions put Flight 507 in the other plane's path, and the agency is investigating. Both flight crews received onboard traffic alerts and carried out instructed maneuvers to avoid a possible midair conflict. Aviation analyst Robert Sumwalt noted that the Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) serves as a last line of defense between aircraft. Preliminary tracking data from FlightRadar24 suggests the jets may have come within about 500 feet vertically, a separation that can meet criteria for a near midair collision. Southwest called the go-around precautionary, praised crew professionalism, and said safety remained its top priority. Social and flight-tracking posts amplified the account, sharing data and prompting scrutiny of the air traffic control instructions.
Early reports emphasized pilots taking evasive action and described the encounter as "dangerously close." Later stories added the FAA's explicit acknowledgement that air traffic control routed the go-around into a departing flight's path, and cited tracking data showing roughly 500 feet separation. Fox News and CBS Evening News were among outlets that highlighted the FAA finding and the FlightRadar24 data, shifting public focus toward air traffic control procedures and oversight.
đ Key Facts
- The incident occurred around 5:30 p.m. local time on Saturday near Nashville International Airport.
- Southwest Flight 507 from Myrtle Beach executed a precautionary go-around because of gusty winds and was instructed by air traffic control to turn right.
- The departing aircraft was Southwest Flight 1152 to Knoxville, taking off from a parallel runway.
- The FAA says air traffic control instructions put Flight 507 in the path of the departing Flight 1152 and has acknowledged that in its statement.
- Preliminary flight data (citing FlightRadar24) indicate the two planes may have come as close as about 500 feet vertically, potentially meeting the official definition of a near midair collision.
- Both flight crews responded to onboard traffic-alert/TCAS warnings and maneuvered to avoid a potential midair conflict.
- Southwest issued a formal statement praising crew professionalism, saying pilots complied with ATC instructions and the traffic alert, and emphasizing the safety of customers and employees.
- Aviation safety analyst Robert Sumwalt noted that the Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) serves as a last line of defense in such situations.
đ° Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Confirms the incident occurred around 5:30 p.m. local time on Saturday near Nashville International Airport.
- Details that Southwest Flight 507 from Myrtle Beach executed a go-around due to gusty winds and was instructed to turn right.
- Identifies the departing aircraft as Southwest Flight 1152 to Knoxville taking off from a parallel runway.
- Reports preliminary flight data indicating roughly 500 feet of vertical separation as Flight 1152 passed over Flight 507.
- Includes FAA statement explicitly acknowledging that air traffic control instructions put Flight 507 in the path of another airplane.
- Provides Southwest's formal statement praising crew professionalism and emphasizing customer and employee safety.
- Quotes aviation safety analyst Robert Sumwalt explaining the role of the Traffic Collision Avoidance System as a last line of defense.
- FAA says Southwest Flight 507, during a go-around, received air traffic control instructions that put it in the path of departing Southwest Flight 1152 from a parallel runway.
- Both flight crews responded to onboard traffic-alert systems and maneuvered to avoid a potential midair conflict.
- Southwest states the go-around was precautionary due to gusty winds and that pilots complied with both ATC instructions and the traffic alert.
- FlightRadar24 data cited in the report suggests the aircraft may have come as close as about 500 feet apart vertically, potentially fitting the official definition of a near midair collision.