Air traffic controllers cleared a Delta flight to land in Boston when a Cape Air flight hadn’t cleared an interecting runway on Thursday. Delta was instructed to go around moments before it was set to touch down. As one of the Delta pilots said on the ATC frequency, “that was close.” Phew.
Delta 263, an Airbus A330 from Paris to New York JFk, was diverting to Boston due to weather. At 4:15 p.m. it finally received the instruction to go around “because Cape Air Flight 548 was cleared to take off from an intersecting runway” according to the FAA which is investigating the incident.
The Delta flight was landing on runway 4R, while Cape Air was departing from 15R. Those runways intersect roughly midfield in Boston.
- Delta checks in for 04R. Tower clears “Runway 4R, cleared to land” and adds “traffic holding on the crossing runway.”
- Seconds later: “Cape 548, turn left heading 060, runway 15R cleared for takeoff.”
- With DL263 on very short final, tower: “Delta 263 heavy, go around… turn 10 degrees left.” Controller then vectors DL263 (left turn, climb to 3,000 ft on ~300° heading) and moves Cape Air 548 off the climb path (left 060°, then departure).
Clearing a landing and a takeoff on intersecting runways demands that the landing aircraft must not cross the threshold until the departure has passed the intersection or turned to avert conflict. The FAA’s rule on Anticipating Separation says you must not use “anticipated separation” when you’re conducting LUAW (line up and wait) operations — you can’t assume the holding aircraft will roll in time.
Boston’s runway 9/27 was closed for a multi‑week safety project, forcing less‑typical runway pairings and higher tower workload. However, clearing both airplanes for intersecting runways put separation at risk. The controller called the go-around in time, but things shouldn’t have been this close.
Cape Air waited 20 to 30 seconds before beginning its takeoff roll, shrinking the margin of safety. But the controller hadn’t required “immediate” or “no delay” takeoff, and hadn’t warned them about the arriving Delta flight on short final.
Controllers are facing staffing shortages. They’re working with delayed pay during the government shutdown. But this was still their error.
The Delta pilot ‘asked for a phone number’ to take up the issue on the ground. One commenter noted they “should’ve declared an emergency for a new pair of pants.”
With a runway down and busy airspace, there’s nothing inherently wrong with issuing a takeoff clearance with another aircraft in short final. But they can’t just assume everything will happen on standard time.
If departure is allowed with an arrival inside two to three nautical miles, takeoff clearance should require “immediate” or “no delay” plus a read‑back from the pilot. Then if wheels don’t roll within about 5 seconds, takeoff clearance should be cancelled. And the departure aircraft should have been informed of the traffic on short final that would be crossing the runway.
Oof. That was almost friendly-fire, too. (Sometimes Delta even sells flights on Cape Air; took one from SJU-BVI once, using SkyPesos, ¡olé!).
Since one of Logan’s runways was closed, that probably contributed to this, but also, perhaps the ATC was distracted… by October 30, they’d have missed at least one full bi-weekly paycheck.
So, do we blame Republicans, or ‘illegals’ for this?
This appears to be SA failure by the Cape Air crew, especially in a busy airport environment. Waiting 20-30 seconds, after TO clearance??
If weather or runway change was a factor for Cape Air, then they should’ve replied NOT able.
Too much traffic for ATC and support teams to manage, even if not in this shutdown. The flying public & CEO’s who push for more, must STOP these unsafe demands!
You blame Congress…period. Where are the Tip O’Neils, the Sam Nunn’s, the Harry Trumans, the John Kennedy’s, and the like that could fight for what they wanted but put the best interests of their state and country first above the party? They were also civil in their arguments with their opponents. I recall President Reagan coming into a joint session of congress for the State Of The Union address. The sergeant at arms announced, “Mr. Speaker, the President Of The United States.” EVERYONE STOOD and applauded. Speaker O’Neil firmly shook the President’s hand. Now, former Speaker Pelosi sneers, tears up the speech, no Democrats will stand. None acknowledged the little boy who has cancer and wants to be a policeman. None acknowledged a Veteran who was introduced to both houses. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THEM? Common courtesy is gone out the window. Now, there are the Elizabeth “Pocahontas” Warrens, the AOC’s, the Jeffries, that bone head Padillia from California (why is he not a surprise) that barges in to an opposing press conference to make his pathetic stand and get his 15 seconds of glory. This has got to stop on both sides of the aisle.
Blame the Democrats!
They r keeping the goat closed
A similar thing happened on 10/18 on Delta flight 433 arriving at LaGuardia. We were taxiing in and a JetBlue plane gad to do a touch and go on the intersecting runway!
@Sick of Both Parties — Yet you only blame Democrats, like @Scott.
@Sick Of Both Parties seems to have missed the disrespectful and embarrassing display the Republicans put on for Joe Biden. They were screaming liar and booing at the top of their lungs.
DEMS vote NO 13? times to keep govt closed on same CR they voted YES in recent years. Don’t need to be a rocket-surgeon to figure out Dems putting politics ahead of the country due to their TDS
NOPE! FOR CERTAIN it’s NOT the Democrats unwilling to negotiate, it’s The REPUBLICAN PARTY UNWILLING to negotiate for the good of this country-PERIOD! No matter where you are on earth, if parties do not negotiate, it becomes a total totalitarian regime. Learn your WORLD HISTORY ya dumb ass Republicans! WTF! THE DEMOCRATS will NEVER hand over Social Security, MEDICARE, Medicaid Healthcare overall to the Republican to dismantle and toss away to the wind for ANY OF US including you dipshits! Wake the F up and SEE where those Christian Nationalists are trying to take our Democracy into a Dictatorship. F that!
Trump said the president is to blame for shutdowns.
Rise Above and Learn: thank you for knowing exactly what is going on!
@Rise Above & Learn — Are they Christian Nationalists, or Nationalist Christians? Nat-Cs, for short. Pronounced like ‘not-see.’
Americans and their politics. This is an airport near disaster so let’s blame a politician?
I have a new idea but not sure how to do it .
Congress no longer has allegiance to the constitution
They one have allegiance to each parties are running the goverment together. How else can you get over so called electedcongress senators to say the same thing word for word. We need a movement to vote members out next election for them and make sure they put term limits in place for al elected federal officials.
Any one have ideas to start this?
CONGRESS IS RESPONSIBLE,
PERIOD!
THE FOUNDERS OF OUR CONSTITUTION NEGLECTED ONE CRITICAL INCLUSION THAT COULD HAVE AVOIDED THE GREATEST THREAT TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY…..
TERM LIMITS FOR ALL MEMBERS OF CONGRESS!
TWO CONSECUTIVE TERMS,
PERIOD!
Since members of CONGRESS will never enact this amendment to our Constitution, we the people, MUST FIX THIS OURSELVES!
Never vote for any candidate who has completed 2 terms, period!
Eventually, the Republicans and Democrats will realize the resolve of the American people in resolving this issue once and for all!
This will force both parties to find worthy candidates during the primaries who will be qualified to replace all Congressional incumbents who have completed 2 terms of service!
The newly elected Congressional candidates will then aptly serve their constituents and our country in a manner befitting the title of MEMBER OF THE U.S. CONGRESS!
If federal paychecks are stopped for others during a government shutdown, why not for congress and the president, too? Also, voting for a CR to reopen the government, and THEN negotiating for what you want, seems lilke a logical position. The only problem with that at present is that Democrats in the senate know that they won’t get $200 billion for illegal medical benefits, permanent 90% subsidy for ObamaCare (which was supposed to be a temporary thing during Covid), reinstatement of all foreign aid programs cut in the BBB, and also reinstatement of media subsidies, also cut in the BBB. $1.5 trillion in spending that is all borrowed money. So, senate Democrats think that the shutdown is their only leverage, and it probably is. Rise above and learn needs to do both.
Can we please stick to the topic of discussion? Those of you pitching the political rants are no different than who you are accusing is to blame for our quagmire. Why don’t you lead by example and save that discourse foe another forum.