![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/18736220_031926-wabc-ap-newark-airport-file-img.jpg\"\/)
<\/p>\nNEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) — An Alaska Airlines 737 and a FedEx 777 cargo plane nearly collided as they attempted to land on intersecting runways at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, according to radar data from FlightRadar24.<\/p>\n
The incident happened around 8:17 p.m. Tuesday as the Alaska flight arrived from Portland, Oregon, and the FedEx plane arrived from Memphis, Tennessee, according to the data.<\/p>\n
Air traffic control told the Alaska plane to go around seconds before it touched down while the plane was just 150 feet in the air, according to air traffic control audio and FlightRadar24 data. Meanwhile, the FedEx plane continued its landing on the intersecting runway.<\/p>\n
Preliminary data from Flightradar24 shows the Alaska plane cleared the FedEx plane by just 300 to 325 feet.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A control tower is seen at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, N.J., Monday, May 5, 2025.<\/p>\n
AP Photo\/Seth Wenig<\/p>\n
The former vice president of the FAA said Tuesday’s issue came down to two runways that intersect.<\/p>\n
“It is a challenge for a tower controller to try to get that timingperfectitdoesn’talwaysworkandthat’swhat happened in this case, so the tower controller waited andunfortunatelyin my opinion toolong and they had to send theaircrafton a go-around,” Michael McCormick said.<\/p>\n
The incident comes two weeks after a Singapore Airlines plane clipped its wing<\/a> with the tail of a parked Spirit Airlines plane on March 3.<\/p>\n In that case, the planes were in the area of the airport where air traffic controllers do not control the traffic.<\/p>\n The FAA calls go-arounds a “routine safety procedure” and says it is investigating.<\/p>\n Alaska Airlines and FedEx did not immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n Tuesday’s incident comes amid the partial government shutdown, which has caused significant staffing shortages for the Transportation Security Administration and longer security wait times at some airports<\/p>\n (ABC News contributed to this report.)<\/p>\n ———-<\/p>\n * Get Eyewitness News Delivered<\/a> <\/p>\n * More New Jersey news<\/a><\/p>\n * Send us a news tip<\/a><\/p>\n * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts<\/a> <\/p>\n * Follow us on YouTube<\/a> <\/p>\n
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News<\/p>\n