Video Screen Grab Shows Close Call At Logan

The NTSB has released a screen grab of a flight deck video that shows just how close a chartered Learjet 60 came to a JetBlue ERJ-190 at Boston’s Logan Airport…

The NTSB has released a screen grab of a flight deck video that shows just how close a chartered Learjet 60 came to a JetBlue ERJ-190 at Boston's Logan Airport on Feb. 27, 2023. A pilot in the jumpseat of the regional jet was shooting video when the crew was ordered to abort its landing on Runway 04R and climb as the Lear passed in front of the regional jet. The board released the screen grab in its final report on the incident.

The board found the Lear crew had been told to line up and wait on the intersecting Runway 09 but took off instead. Airport surface detection equipment triggered an alert and a controller ordered the go-around while the regional jet was flaring to land. The Embraer was about 400 feet above the flight path of the business jet during the go-around.

"JBU206’s flight crew initiated a go-around while over runway 04R, prior to reaching the intersection with runway 09," the report says. "The closest proximity between both airplanes occurred when JBU206 was about 30ft AGL during the landing flare, close to the point where both runways intersected." The captain of the Lear told investigators he recalls "probably" acknowledging the line-up-and-wait order, "but in his mind they were cleared for takeoff." The official cause of the incident was listed as "understanding/comprehension-flight crew."

Russ Niles is Editor-in-Chief of AVweb. He has been a pilot for 30 years and joined AVweb 22 years ago. He and his wife Marni live in southern British Columbia where they also operate a small winery.