Newark, United States: A serious aviation safety incident is under investigation in the United States after an Alaska Airlines passenger jet and a FedEx cargo aircraft came within a few hundred feet of each other while attempting to land at Newark Liberty International Airport.
The incident occurred on the evening of March 17, 2026, at approximately 8:17 p.m. local time, when both aircraft were approaching intersecting runways, according to federal authorities and radar data.
Alaska Airlines Flight 294, a Boeing 737 arriving from Portland, Oregon, had been cleared to land when air traffic control instructed the pilots to abort the landing and execute a go-around. At the same time, FedEx Flight 721, a Boeing 777 cargo aircraft arriving from Memphis, Tennessee, had been cleared for final approach on a crossing runway.
Preliminary flight tracking data indicates the two aircraft passed within 300 to 325 feet of each other, highlighting the severity of the close call.
Audio and radar information show the Alaska Airlines jet was just moments from touchdown flying at roughly 150 feet when controllers issued the last-minute instruction to climb, allowing it to safely pass over the FedEx aircraft, which continued its landing.
There were 171 passengers and six crew members onboard the Alaska Airlines flight. Both airlines confirmed their crews followed air traffic control instructions, and no injuries were reported.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched investigations into the incident.
Preliminary assessments suggest the situation may have stemmed from the operational complexity of managing intersecting runways, where precise timing between arriving aircraft is critical.
Investigations are ongoing, and authorities are expected to release further findings on operational factors, controller actions, and procedural compliance in the coming weeks.
