FAA Probes Near-Collision As Delta Jet Aborts Landing At Boston Logan
The FAA is probing an apparent close call after a Delta jet aborted its landing about 10:34 a.m. Central on Saturday at Boston Logan Airport, reportedly coming within roughly 300 feet of an American Airlines plane.[1]
The Delta flight, arriving from Dallas as Flight DL2351, executed a go-around while an American Airlines jet, departing for Charlotte as AA3161, was cleared onto an intersecting runway.[1] CBS reported the American jet had been cleared to take off on a runway that crossed the one the Delta plane was about to land on.[2] Live air-traffic-control audio captures the Delta pilot saying, "Delta... 2351 going around because of American," and the American pilot replying, "You cleared us for takeoff 3161." Fox News Delta said the crew received an onboard traffic advisory and that 129 passengers and six crew deplaned safely.[1]
The incident arrives as lawmakers and regulators are already focused on runway safety. The Senate Commerce subcommittee scheduled a hearing titled "Close Calls: Improving Safety Across the National Airspace System" for June 23, 2026. The FAA has audited runway risks at busy airports and planned upgrades to detection technology at dozens of fields. Boston Logan recorded 83 runway incursions between 2021 and 2024, one of the higher totals among U.S. airports.
Early coverage estimated the jets came within about 300 feet, a figure supported by flight-tracking analysis shared publicly.[3] Reporting that followed released liveATC audio and an FAA confirmation that the go-around was triggered by the departing American jet, adding flight numbers and timing to the record.[1]
Lawmakers, aviation observers and social media users noted the timing of the close call ahead of the scheduled Senate hearing and urged a swift FAA review of procedures at busy, intersecting runways.
The mainstream summary does not mention that Boston Logan International Airport ranked fourth highest among U.S. airports for runway incursions, with 83 incidents recorded between 2021 and 2024. This statistic highlights a concerning trend in runway safety at this busy airport, suggesting that the recent near-miss may not be an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of safety issues. Additionally, while the summary notes that the FAA is investigating the incident, it does not address the underlying factors contributing to an increase in near-misses, such as the significant rise in controller workload and staffing shortages within the FAA, which have been linked to a surge in aviation safety incidents since 2019. According to analysis from AviatorDB, controller workload has surged by 61%, correlating with a rise in near mid-air collisions, a factor that could have played a role in this close call. These insights suggest a need for a more comprehensive examination of systemic issues affecting air traffic safety rather than focusing solely on the incident itself.[4][5]
Show source details & analysis (3 sources)
📊 Relevant Data
In fiscal year 2024 there were 9 serious Category A and B runway incursions nationwide, the lowest number since fiscal year 2019 and a 59 percent reduction from 22 in fiscal year 2023.
FAA Runway Incursions Final Report — U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General
Boston Logan International Airport recorded 83 runway incursions between 2021 and 2024, ranking fourth highest among U.S. airports.
New study ranks Logan airport 4th in U.S. for most runway close calls — NBC Boston
📌 Key Facts
- The FAA is investigating an apparent close call at Boston Logan Airport.
- The FAA confirmed to Fox News that the Delta go-around was executed because the American jet was departing from an intersecting runway.
- Flight-tracking data indicate the two aircraft came within roughly 300 feet of each other.
- The incident occurred about 10:34 a.m. Central on Saturday, June 20, 2026, when a Delta jet arriving from Dallas was landing as an American jet was departing for Charlotte.
- LiveATC audio captures the Delta pilot saying, “Delta... 2351 going around because of American,” and the American pilot responding, “You cleared us for takeoff 3161.”
- CBS reported the American Airlines jet had been cleared to take off on a runway that crossed the one the Delta jet was about to land on, putting the aircraft in close proximity.
- Delta said the crew received an advisory from onboard traffic systems, noted its aircraft carry conflict-warning technology, and reported 129 passengers and six crew deplaned safely.
- Fox linked the Boston near miss to a recent cluster of U.S. aviation accidents, including a June 16 business-jet crash in Laredo, Texas and a small-plane crash in Bowie, Maryland that killed three.
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Article specifies the incident time as about 11:34 a.m. Eastern on Saturday, June 20, 2026, and confirms the Delta jet was arriving from Dallas and the American jet was departing for Charlotte.
- Former Boeing safety engineer Todd Curtis told the Associated Press that FlightRadar24 data show the aircraft came within roughly 300 feet of each other.
- LiveATC audio captures the Delta pilot stating, "Delta... 2351 going around because of American," and an exchange in which the American pilot responds, "You cleared us for takeoff 3161" after a controller asks, "American 3161, where are you going?"
- Delta said the crew received an advisory from onboard traffic systems during descent, noted that its aircraft carry conflict-warning technology, and reported 129 passengers and six crew aboard with all deplaning safely.
- The FAA confirmed to Fox News that the Delta go-around was executed because the American jet was departing from an intersecting runway.
- The article links the Boston near miss to a cluster of recent U.S. aviation accidents, including a June 16, 2026 business-jet crash in Laredo, Texas, and a small-plane crash in Bowie, Maryland that killed three.
- CBS reiterates that the FAA is investigating an apparent close call at Boston Logan Airport that occurred over the weekend before Monday, June 22, 2026.
- The CBS video description specifies that an American Airlines jet was cleared to take off on a runway crossing the one a Delta jet was about to land on, leading to the two aircraft coming within about 300 feet of each other.
- Article states the near miss happened at Boston Logan Airport but does not add new figures beyond the previously reported 300-foot separation estimate.