Southwest Airlines Planes Narrowly Avoid Collision Near Nashville Airport

Two Southwest Airlines flights narrowly avoided a midair collision near Nashville International Airport on Saturday evening after an aborted landing brought one jet into close proximity with another taking off, officials confirmed.

At approximately 5:30 p.m. local time, Southwest flight 507, arriving from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, was forced to break off its landing due to strong winds and begin a go-around maneuver. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), air traffic control then instructed the pilots to turn right, placing them in the path of another Southwest plane, flight 1152, which had been cleared for takeoff on a parallel runway.

Both aircrafts’ onboard Traffic Collision Avoidance Systems (TCAS) issued automatic alerts instructing their crews to take evasive action. Preliminary data reviewed from the incident shows flight 1152, en route to Knoxville, Tennessee, passed approximately 500 feet above the climbing flight 507, putting the two Boeing 737s dangerously close in shared airspace.

Despite the near-miss, both flights continued on to their respective destinations and landed safely. There were no reported injuries among passengers or crew. In a statement, Southwest Airlines commended the professionalism of its pilots and reiterated its commitment to safety.

The FAA acknowledged that air traffic control’s directions contributed to the planes crossing paths and stated that a full investigation into the event is underway. Aviation experts note that TCAS technology provides a critical layer of protection when separation between aircraft unexpectedly narrows.

The preliminary investigation remains active as regulators review communications and flight data to determine contributing factors and recommend any necessary safety changes.