Story perspectives

FAA probes near-miss between Delta, American at Boston

6/23/2026

Summary

Delta Go-Around

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) opened an investigation after Delta flight 2351 performed a go-around to avoid American Airlines jet at Boston Logan Airport on June 20, 2026.
The aircraft passed within 300 feet at about 11:34 a.m. ET, after which Delta’s 129 passengers and six crew landed safely at 11:45 a.m. ET.
American flight 3161 was departing for Charlotte on an intersecting runway, prompting former Boeing safety engineer Todd Curtis to call the incident significant.

Summary

Delta Near-Miss

Trainers say Delta’s go-around shows simulator practice readies crews for sudden runway conflicts.
Passenger forums recorded anxiety during the climb and demanded clearer cockpit announcements.
Analysts expect the Logan near-miss to heighten debates on controller workload and radar modernization.
Safety advocates urge rapid deployment of advanced surface-surveillance and automated conflict-alert tools.
Congressional hearings on runway incursions have sharpened, citing the Boston event as evidence of airspace strain.

Summary

FAA Flags Near-Misses

Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan) said 15,000 close calls occurred over three years near Reagan Washington National Airport, showing aviation fragility.
Near-misses include a flight-school plane within 500 feet of a JetBlue jet near Lauderdale-Hollywood and two aircraft within 500 feet over JFK in May.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigators using ADS-B placed a Delta Airbus A319 and an American Boeing 737-800 300 feet apart after Todd Curtis, Boeing safety engineer, had estimated a 300-foot separation.

History

Historical Context

Since the FAA’s 1995 safety bulletin on a United-Boeing 757/Cessna near-miss at LAX—prompted by Boeing’s 1,200 runway-incursion reports in 1994—a series of reforms followed the 1986 NTSB study and the 1991 Runway Safety Plan. The Delta-American brush-off at Boston Logan echoes that pattern, underscoring ongoing concerns highlighted by the FAA and NTSB.

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Delta Go-Around

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) opened an investigation after Delta flight 2351 performed a go-around to avoid American Airlines jet at Boston Logan Airport on June 20, 2026.
The aircraft passed within 300 feet at about 11:34 a.m. ET, after which Delta’s 129 passengers and six crew landed safely at 11:45 a.m. ET.
American flight 3161 was departing for Charlotte on an intersecting runway, prompting former Boeing safety engineer Todd Curtis to call the incident significant.

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