Recently, two Southwest Airlines planes had a close call in Nashville, Tennessee, when an air traffic controller mistakenly directed one pilot to turn into the path of another aircraft. This incident raised concerns about air safety and highlighted the importance of communication in aviation.
In light of this event, it’s worth remembering a tragic incident that occurred last year when an American Airlines jet collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C. This crash, which took place on January 29, 2025, resulted in the loss of all 67 lives on both aircraft. Such accidents are rare in commercial aviation, especially since modern planes are equipped with systems designed to alert pilots about potential collisions.
While midair collisions are unusual, they can still happen, particularly involving smaller aircraft that may not have advanced safety systems. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not provided specific annual statistics for these near misses, but smaller plane collisions occur several times each year. For instance, in February 2025, a collision in Arizona resulted in the tragic deaths of two individuals.
During the recent Nashville incident, both Southwest pilots activated their onboard collision avoidance systems after receiving alarms that warned them of the potential danger. The audio from the event, shared on www.LiveATC.net, reveals that one plane climbed while the other descended to avert disaster.
The incident unfolded when one pilot decided to abort a landing attempt and was instructed by the air traffic controller to circle back. Unfortunately, this instruction led the plane into the path of another Southwest flight that had just taken off. By the time the controller recognized the risky situation and tried to reroute the departing flight to a safer altitude, it had already climbed too high to comply.
Data indicates that the two planes came alarmingly close, potentially within 500 feet of each other, with one aircraft flying directly over the other. FlightRadar24, a flight tracking service, confirmed this proximity, which meets the official criteria for a near midair collision. However, a thorough review will be necessary to establish the exact details of how close they really got.
The FAA is currently investigating the incident. They acknowledged that the pilot of Southwest flight 507 received conflicting instructions that placed the flight in the path of another departing airplane. Fortunately, both flight crews reacted appropriately to the onboard alerts.
According to Southwest Airlines spokesperson Lynn Lunsford, gusty winds at Nashville International Airport prompted the first pilot to perform a go-around maneuver. He emphasized that both pilots acted professionally and followed air traffic control instructions and their collision avoidance systems to prevent an accident.
“Southwest appreciates the professionalism of its pilots and flight crews in responding to the event. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of our customers and employees,” Lunsford stated.
