Alaska Airlines jet overflew FedEx plane in close call at Newark airport

An Alaska Airlines jet overflew a FedEx cargo plane while both aircraft were attempting to land on intersecting runways at Newark Liberty International Airport, according to aviation officials. Air traffic control ordered the Alaska flight to abort its landing and go around.

The incident happened at about 8:15 p.m. local time on Tuesday at Newark, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which said an air traffic controller instructed Alaska Airlines Flight 294 to perform a go-around because FedEx Flight 721 had been cleared for a final approach to an intersecting runway.

The NTSB said it is investigating the close call, describing it as an event in which an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 overflew a FedEx Boeing 777 as both jets were trying to land on crossing runways.

Flightradar24 data reviewed by BNO News show the FedEx aircraft approaching from the east and the Alaska jet from the north.

The Alaska plane appears to abort its landing at the last moment and pass over the FedEx aircraft, which continued its approach and landed. The two planes appeared to come within roughly 300 feet of each other vertically.

According to Flightradar24, Alaska Airlines Flight 294 was a Boeing 737 MAX 9 from Portland and FedEx Flight 721 was a Boeing 777 cargo jet from Memphis.

The number of people aboard the two planes was not immediately released.