FAA and NTSB Investigations

Federal investigators are examining a serious "close call" at Newark Liberty International Airport on Tuesday night in which an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 reportedly overflew a FedEx Boeing 777 as both approached intersecting runways around 8:15 p.m. The FAA says an air traffic controller ordered Alaska Airlines Flight 294 to execute a go‑around because FedEx Flight 721 had been cleared to land on a crossing runway, and both aircraft ultimately landed safely without injuries. Alaska and FedEx confirm their planes were cleared to land and say their crews followed air‑traffic control instructions, while the NTSB has opened an investigation into the circumstances of the near miss. The incident comes as Newark, one of the country’s busiest airports, has been struggling with air‑traffic controller shortages and operational strain, raising fresh questions about runway‑safety margins at crowded hubs. Aviation‑safety discussions online are already comparing this to other recent close calls and midair disasters, underscoring concern that systemic pressure on the air‑traffic system is eroding the safety buffer U.S. flyers have long taken for granted.