The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Tuesday launched an investigation into a close call at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in which a private jet carrying a college basketball team narrowly avoided a potential runway collision last Friday,
Why It Matters
This incident comes as tragic aviation accidents worldwide this year have sparked discussions on improving aviation safety, and in some countries, like South Korea, the crashes have prompted governments to start investigating the safety regulations carried out by domestic airlines.
What To Know
The incident occurred as the Key Lime Air-operated Embraer E135 jet, designated Flight 563, was instructed to hold short of a runway while a Delta Airlines flight was taking off.
According to the FAA, the jet carrying Gonzaga University men's basketball team crossed the hold bars but halted before the runway edge line following an urgent command from air traffic controllers to "Stop, stop, stop."
A livestream capturing the runway activity showed the Key Lime Air flight stopping abruptly before resuming movement after a brief pause. The Gonzaga team was in Los Angeles for Saturday's game against UCLA at Intuit Dome, where the Gonzaga Bulldogs suffered a narrow 65-62 defeat.
Neither Key Lime Air nor Delta Airlines reported any injuries or operational disruptions. Delta, whose flight 471 was involved, stated that the flight operated normally and pledged cooperation with the FAA.
Gonzaga Picks Up Win After Airport Incident
Meanwhile, Gonzaga returned to the court Monday night in Malibu, clinching an 89-82 victory over Pepperdine in their West Coast Conference opener.
Khalif Battle, the Bulldogs' top scorer for the game, declined to comment on the near-miss during Friday's flight. Meanwhile, forward Braden Huff expressed relief at heading home to Spokane for their next game.
What People Are Saying
Gonzaga University said in an email to The Associated Press (AP) on Monday afternoon: "We understand that the incident at LAX is under investigation and we will review this information as it becomes available. Our team members aboard the aircraft were unaware of the situation as it occurred and we are grateful that the incident ended safely for all."
According to the AP, Key Lime Air did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.
A Delta spokesperson told the AP there were no problems for its aircraft, saying: "Delta flight 471 operated as normal, and we are not aware of any communication from the FAA regarding this flight. We are cooperating with aviation officials on their investigation."
What Happens Next
The FAA has not yet shared any details of its investigation.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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