Shortly after 11 p.m. Wednesday night at LAX, Frontier Airlines flight 3216 from Los Angeles to Atlanta called ground control and asked if they saw what just happened – “two trucks just cut us off” at a taxiway – service road crossing and they had to slam on the brakes.
The Airbus A321neo crew was rattled. The pilot told controllers the event happened so fast he needed to go check on the flight attendants and passengers in the back. It was “the closest I’ve ever seen.”
There were 217 passengers and 7 crew, and they continued to Atlanta rather than returning to gate. The airport and FAA have not publicly identified the trucks or who was driving them.
But the vehicle shouldn’t have been there – it’s supposed to yield to aircraft. And the pilot said he couldn’t make out the company names on the trucks, though they are supposed to display a company name or logo on both sides of the vehicle.
Here’s air traffic control communications:
Pilot: Hey, Grant, did you see this?
Air traffic control: No
Pilot: Two trucks just cut us off. We had to slam on the brakes not to hit them.
Air traffic control: Who’s asking? Is that Frontier?
Pilot: Yeah, it’s Frontier.
Air traffic control: …Two trucks cut off Frontier at Kilo and Bravo at the service road. Frontier, do you have eyes on them? Which direction are they going?
Pilot: They were going eastbound.
Air traffic control: Eastbound, and they’re still there next to you?
Pilot: One turned off, one kept going, I think. One turned left, one kept going straight.
Air traffic control: Okay, do you have any markings, company name or anything like that on them?
Pilot: Nah, it happened so fast. Both of us were just like, holy shit, and we were just slammed on the brakes. I’m going to have to call the flight team to make sure everybody’s alright in the back. It was real close, the closest I’ve ever seen.
Air traffic control: One of the ones that’s off your 10 o’clock there?
Pilot: Yeah.
Air traffic control: That is the one off your 10 o’clock?
Pilot: Umm, nah, he’s turning left now. He’s up further up. It looks like Charlie, Charlie 10 maybe.
Air traffic control: Okay, I see him scurrying away. City officers, one of them might be the one that’s entering Charlie 10.
Officer: Roger, I’ll head over there.
Air traffic control: 3216, let me know if you require any assistance.
Pilot: No, we’re good. It was just as close as I’ve ever seen it.
“It happened so fast, both of us are like holy shit and slammed on the brakes…as close as I’ve ever seen” Frontier pilot tells LAX controllers late Wednesday. He reported 2 trucks essentially cut off the A321 heading to Atlanta on a taxiway.
FAA is investigating.
Listen ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/yE6xGyCsrK— Kris Van Cleave (@krisvancleave) April 10, 2026
This appears to be an airside vehicle screwup, not any mistake on the part of the Frontier pilots, who were taxiing slowly enough and reacting well enough to hit the brakes in time.
It’s especially scary after the New York LaGuardia Air Canada tragedy only a little over two weeks ago, where a fire truck crossed the runway in front of a landing jet. Fortunately here the plane was taxiing, not landing at speed.
Glad everyone is alright. Seems like we’re learning our lessons… *facepalm*
Think about this next time people stand up when the plane lands, or they stand up because they think we landed a few minutes ago and therefore we must be safely at the gate by now.
@1990 Bah! Like learning a lesson about supporting socialism?
Beside 25-hour black boxes, sounds like we need to increase coverage of (1) truck transponders and (2) airplane dash cams!
I agree that more must be done to keep ground vehicles away from airplanes. I have been airside at LAX in a company vehicle while under escort. The rules are clear: airplanes have right of way, period. Even if your escort drives off and you cannot keep up. You have to keep your head on a swivel. In this case, it was after midnight and people could be tired plus visibility is less. Still, no excuse.
Perhaps we need to hook up an air horn on the front landing gear to the bleed air
I am so scared to fly in the USA! I can’t believe pilots and flight crews have to risk their lives in this envoronment. Between ATC and rogue vehicle on the tarmac – they don’t have a choice. I do. No flying for me now!