Photo: David McNew / Getty Images News / Getty Images
An American Airlines flight had to abort its takeoff at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday (September 28) after a cargo jet crossed the runway in front of it. The incident involved AeroLogic Flight 619, a Boeing 777, which had just arrived from Shanghai, China. The cargo plane, operated by AeroLogic, a joint venture between Lufthansa Cargo and DHL, was instructed to cross runway 25L but mistakenly turned onto runway 25R, where American Airlines Flight 2453 was preparing for takeoff to Boston.
The American Airlines Airbus A321 was traveling at approximately 167 miles per hour when it had to slam on the brakes, coming within 5,200 feet of the cargo plane. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that the AeroLogic flight crossed the runway without authorization.
The quick actions of the air traffic controllers and the American Airlines pilots prevented a potential disaster. The American Airlines flight, which had 94 passengers and seven crew members on board, returned to the gate and took off for Boston two and a half hours later, as reported by The Boston Globe.
AeroLogic Executive Administrator Wolfgang Sperber stated that they are investigating the incident and are in contact with relevant authorities. The FAA is expected to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the unauthorized runway crossing. Fortunately, no injuries or damage were reported, and both flights continued to their respective destinations without further incident.