Scrutiny of Runway Safety Intensifies Following Near Miss at Atlanta Airport

A recent near collision involving two passenger planes at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has intensified focus on runway safety issues at some of the busiest airports in the U.S. This incident, which occurred on a Monday, is the latest in a series of significant events that have highlighted concerns about runway incursions, taxiway obstacles, and overall airport-surface safety.

Analysis by Newsweek of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) runway-incursion data shows hundreds of incidents at major hubs since 2001. The data, which includes over 35,000 events at 530 airports in the U.S., highlights those airports with the most significant numbers. “Runway incursions decreased by 8% in 2025, marking the lowest rate since 2020,” an FAA representative stated. “This decline results from outreach efforts and the implementation of various safety technologies at airports nationwide.”

FAA defines runway incursions as occurrences where an aircraft, vehicle, or individual wrongly occupies a protected runway area. These can range from minor incidents to serious close calls where collisions are narrowly avoided. Airports with the highest figures in the dataset include major hubs like Chicago O’Hare, Los Angeles International, Charlotte Douglas, Boston Logan, and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, as well as several high-volume general aviation airports.

Recent Collisions and Close Calls at Airports

The latest highlighted incident took place on July 27 at the Atlanta airport when two Delta Air Lines planes activated onboard collision alerts after approaching dangerously close during a landing go-around and a departure sequence. An incoming flight aborted its landing due to a delayed runway clearance and subsequently conflicted with a departing Delta plane. Both landed safely without injuries, but the FAA initiated an investigation into this close call.

This Atlanta incident adds to a series of notable airport-surface accidents and near misses over the past two years. One of the most severe episodes happened in March 2026 at LaGuardia Airport when an Air Canada Express flight collided with an airport fire truck on Runway 4, resulting in the death of both pilots and dozens of other injuries. Another major occurrence was in August 2024 at Atlanta, involving a Delta Airbus A330 colliding with a Virgin Atlantic Airbus A350 during taxiing. While both aircraft sustained damage, no injuries were reported among the passengers and crew. Investigators later attributed the accident to the Delta crew misjudging the available wingtip clearance.

Boston Logan Airport has faced multiple significant incidents. In February 2024, two JetBlue Airbuses A321 collided on the ground, causing major damage without injuries. In June 2026, a Delta flight aborted a landing to avoid another aircraft cleared onto an intersecting runway, which could have led to a catastrophic collision according to investigators.

In February 2025, a Southwest Airlines aircraft at Chicago Midway initiated a go-around when another plane entered the runway, becoming a subject in one of several recent runway-incursion investigations at busy airports.

Plane Crash Frequency and Incursions

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has aviation accident and incident records dating back to 1962, while the FAA tracks runway incursions and safety events. The NTSB database includes many records, but incidents involving major commercial airlines form a minor percentage. Fatal crashes involving large U.S. passenger airlines are rare compared to the total number of flights conducted. In contrast, runway incursions and airport-surface incidents happen more frequently, though most do not lead to fatalities. Between 2001 and mid-2026, FAA recorded 35,308 runway-incursion events.

Airports with Numerous Collisions Recently

While runway collisions are less common than incursions, several airports have experienced significant events recently. Key incidents under investigation include:

• LaGuardia Airport (LGA) – the 2026 Air Canada Express/fire truck fatal collision.
• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL) – Delta/Virgin Atlantic taxiway collision in 2024 and a recent near miss.
• Boston Logan (BOS) – JetBlue ground collision in 2024 and a significant incursion in 2026.
• Chicago Midway (MDW) – notable runway-incursion near miss in 2025.
• John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) – historical collision investigations, including the 2011 Air France A380 and Comair CRJ accident.

Busy airports naturally record higher incident figures because of their traffic volumes. However, this does not imply they are the most dangerous on a per-flight basis.

Understanding Runway Incursions

The map related to this article visualizes FAA runway-incursion data, distinguishing incidents involving the incorrect presence of an aircraft, vehicle, or person on a protected runway. These range from minor mistakes to serious close calls with imminent collision risks. Runway incursions are classified by severity, from Category D (no immediate safety consequence) to Category A (imminent collision risk).

Runway incursions have become a growing concern for aviation regulators. The NTSB has emphasized the seriousness of Category A and B events, which present significant collision risks. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy noted investigations into multiple serious close calls in recent years and has advocated for additional safety measures. Experts emphasize that appearing frequently on the incursion map does not equate to high danger levels. Large airports like Chicago O’Hare, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Charlotte see numerous operational movements, leading to more recorded incursions, though the risk per flight remains low. Despite this, investigations into recent incidents in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, and New York persist to determine whether they indicate a broader trend or simply increased attention to events that previously received limited notice. Federal regulators and the NTSB regard these incursions as a critical safety issue due to the potentially catastrophic consequences of errors on the ground.