BOSTON — A Delta Air Lines flight carrying 284 passengers narrowly avoided a collision with a Cape Air aircraft at Boston Logan International Airport on Thursday afternoon, after being forced into a last-second go-around maneuver just 200 feet above the runway.
The Incident
Delta Flight 263, an Airbus A330 arriving from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, was on final approach around 4:15 p.m. when air traffic controllers instructed the crew to abort the landing.
Originally bound for New York’s JFK Airport, the aircraft had been diverted to Boston due to poor weather in New York.
The wide-body jet descended to roughly 200 feet before climbing again to 4,100 feet to avoid Cape Air Flight 548, which had been cleared for takeoff from an intersecting runway. Aviation sources report that the two planes came within half a mile of each other, with the Delta aircraft dropping as low as 150 feet before initiating the go-around.
Dramatic Radio Communications
“Heavy, that was close,” the Delta pilot said over the radio following the maneuver.
“Yeah, man, not cool,” replied the Cape Air pilot.
Audio from the tower captured the Cape Air pilot’s shocked reaction, saying, “What the heck?”
Cape Air Flight 548 departed at 4:17 p.m. en route to Bar Harbor, Maine, while the Delta flight successfully landed at 4:38 p.m. after circling for another approach.
FAA Investigation Underway
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into the near-miss incident, reviewing whether safety protocols and clearances were properly followed.
Preliminary reports indicate both aircraft had valid clearances, but the Cape Air plane remained on the runway as the Delta jet neared touchdown.
Sources say the Cape Air crew delayed takeoff by 20–30 seconds after receiving clearance, with no controller directive to depart immediately.
Broader Staffing Crisis Context
The event comes amid a nationwide shortage of air traffic controllers, worsened by the ongoing government shutdown.
An independent safety review commissioned by the FAA in 2023 warned that inadequate staffing and outdated systems were “rendering the current level of safety unsustainable.”
According to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, the FAA is short 3,800 controllers, with 41% working 10-hour days, six days a week. Nearly half of the FAA’s 290 control facilities are understaffed, and 128 facilities operate below the agency’s 85% staffing goal.
Shutdown’s Impact on Aviation Safety
The government shutdown has severely disrupted air traffic operations. The FAA reported that 80% of controllers in the New York area were absent on Friday, while half of the 30 busiest facilities nationwide face shortages.
Since October 1, there have been 264 staffing-related disruptions, compared with 60 during the same period last year.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said controller staffing has been cut by 50% in some regions, with many employees working without pay for over a month.
Boston Logan’s Complex Layout
Boston Logan’s six intersecting runways demand precise coordination between controllers and pilots. The configuration makes simultaneous runway operations especially challenging, requiring exact timing and communication.
Safety experts warn that staffing shortages have contributed to a rise in “near-miss” or runway incursion incidents, with 1,757 reported nationwide in 2024.
A Warning for Aviation Safety
The Boston Logan incident highlights the growing strain on the U.S. air traffic control system and the critical need for adequate staffing.
As controllers continue working extended hours without pay, experts caution that the system is operating at its limits — and near-misses like this one could become more frequent if relief does not come soon.
