The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a close-call near-collision between a Delta Air Lines and an American Airlines flight at Boston Logan International Airport.
This incident highlights potential systemic failures in air traffic control clearances that can lead to catastrophic accidents in high-traffic airspace. The proximity of the two aircraft suggests a critical breakdown in separation protocols.
The event occurred Saturday morning on June 22, 2026, involving intersecting runways 15R/33L and 4L/22R. Delta Flight 2351 [3] was cleared to land while an American Airlines flight was simultaneously cleared for takeoff. This conflict in clearances created a potential collision path between the two aircraft.
According to reports, the two jets came within 300 feet [2] of each other. To avoid a collision, the Delta flight had to execute a go-around, aborting its landing sequence. There were more than 100 people [1] on board the Delta aircraft at the time of the incident.
The FAA is now probing the sequence of events to determine how both aircraft were granted conflicting clearances for the same area of airspace. The investigation will focus on the communication between the control tower and the pilots, as well as the timing of the clearances, to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
No injuries were reported following the go-around, and the Delta flight eventually landed safely. The FAA has not yet released a formal statement regarding the specific cause of the clearance error.
“The two jets came within 300 feet of each other.”
This incident underscores the inherent risks of intersecting runway configurations at major hubs like Boston Logan. When air traffic controllers issue conflicting clearances, the safety of the flight relies entirely on the pilots' ability to detect the conflict and execute emergency maneuvers, such as a go-around, in a matter of seconds.
