South
NTSB blames Southwest Chicago near miss on Flexjet crew 'failure' to listen to air traffic control
The harrowing near-miss between a Southwest Airlines plane and a private jet at a Chicago airport was a failure of the private jet crew to listen to air traffic control instructions, according to National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy.
Homendy made the statement during a Wednesday morning appearance on “Fox & Friends,” saying the Flexjet crew had been instructed to “line up and wait and hold short of runway 31C, which Southwest was landing on, and they failed to do so.”
Homendy noted, however, that the NTSB still has to conduct its investigation before coming to any final conclusions or taking any punitive action against the Flexjet crew.
“There’s a lot of information we still have to collect. We want to know what was going on in the cockpit of that airplane,” Homendy said. “We will collect air traffic control communications. We have asked for the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder from Flexjet.”
DELTA FLIGHT FORCED TO RETURN TO ATLANTA AIRPORT AFTER ‘HAZE’ FILLS CABIN
The Southwest flight crew performed a go-around maneuver to avoid a possible incident with a private jet that crossed its path on the runway at Chicago Midway International Airport on Tuesday morning. (StreamTime Live)
President Donald Trump weighed in on the near crash on social media Wednesday, suggesting the Flexjet pilots may have been “sleeping.”
“GREAT JOB BY THE SOUTHWEST PILOTS IN CHICAGO. A NEARLY TRAGIC CLOSE CALL. PERHAPS SUSPEND THE PILOTS LICENSE OF THE OTHER PLANE, WHO MUST HAVE BEEN “SLEEPING!” he wrote on Truth Social.
Tuesday’s near-miss occurred when the Flexjet crossed the runway where a Southwest plane was coming in for landing. The Southwest craft had already touched down, but pilots observed the Flexjet and quickly took off once again to avoid a collision.
Duffy says the Flexjet crew may have their licenses revoked on Tuesday.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a preliminary statement that the “business jet entered the runway without authorization.” The agency, as well as the NTSB, said they are investigating the incident.
“We are aware of the occurrence today in Chicago,” a Flexjet spokesperson said in a statement. “Flexjet adheres to the highest safety standards and we are conducting a thorough investigation. Any action to rectify and ensure the highest safety standards will be taken.”
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has pushed to modernize certain parts of America’s air traffic systems. (Getty Images)
Homendy emphasized that Americans should remain confident that air travel is still the safest means of transportation.
TORONTO PLANE CRASH TIMELINE: DELTA FLIGHT FROM MINNEAPOLIS FLIPS UPSIDE DOWN WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND
The incident in Chicago comes after a series of aviation disasters across the country, several of them fatal.
Investigators search through wreckage in Washington, D.C. following a midair collision. (NTSB)
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy ramped up scrutiny on America’s air travel systems after a helicopter collided with a commercial airliner over Washington, D.C., killing more than 60 people.
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Less than 48 hours later, a medical ambulance flight crashed in Philadelphia, leaving seven people dead.
Last week, two small planes collided midair at a regional airport in Arizona, killing two people.
Miami, FL
Future of Miami historic landmark continues in limbo after redevelopment plan rejected by zoning board
The fight over the future of the Coconut Grove Playhouse continues after a controversial redevelopment plan was rejected by a city zoning hearing on Wednesday.
The historic landmark, built in 1927, has been a dilapidated eyesore since it closed its doors in 2006. Developers had previously come in for renovations, but the project stalled following a partial collapse. The site is currently covered under a black tarp as the city continues to disagree on its final plans.
The city zoning hearing reviewing the proposal for the Coconut Grove Playhouse went late into the night on Wednesday. Miami-Dade County leaders plan to redevelop the site into an open campus with a new theater, shops, and parking. However, not all residents are for it.
“This is a place that is a treasure in Coconut Grove,” said Carl Hawks, a Coconut Grove resident.
Marlene Erven, with the Coconut Grove Women’s Club, explained the neighborhood’s concerns.
“We are fighting to preserve as much as we can for the intent of the property, which is a cultural use and to help the neighborhood be protected from the commercial intrusion of all of the development,” Erven said.
In the end, the plan was rejected, which thrilled residents like Erven.
“I think yesterday was a win to some extent for saving the Playhouse and the residents of West Grove,” Erven said.
While most “Grovites” disagree with the county’s major plan, they do say something needs to be done, all while keeping the history of the site alive.
The developers will now have to return to the drawing board. It is unknown when those new plans will be presented. The saga of the Coconut Grove Playhouse continues.
FLOWERY BRANCH – The Atlanta Falcons are gearing up for rookie minicamp this weekend after a flurry of player moves over the last several weeks. General manager Ian Cunningham is not finished making changes to his roster, and the front office has reunited with another former player.
According to a press release from the team, the Falcons have signed cornerback Darren Hall and released safety Tysheem Johnson in a corresponding move.
Hall was originally selected by the franchise in the fourth round (108th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft out of San Diego State. Over his four seasons with the Falcons (2021-22) and Arizona Cardinals (2024-25), he has appeared in 48 games (12 starts), registering 85 total tackles, three tackles for loss, six passes defended, one sack, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.
In the time between his stints in Atlanta and Arizona, Hall was a member of the Indianapolis Colts’ practice squad (2023).
As a college player for the Aztecs, he tied the FBS lead for pass breakups with 16 in 2019. He appeared in 34 games (22 starts) over his three seasons (2018-20) with San Diego State, recording 134 tackles (101 solo), 31 passes defensed, eight tackles for loss, six interceptions, three forced fumbles, 2.5 sacks, and one fumble recovery. He was a first-team All-Mountain West selection following the 2020 season.
As a pro, Hall’s career has not gone exactly as he would have hoped. 10 of Hall’s starts came with the Falcons, and he largely struggled in 2022. He surrendered 362 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 27 receptions against 37 targets. The Falcons waived him in August 2023 in favor of rookie Clark Phillips III, Jeff Okudah, Tre Flowers, and Mike Hughes.
Hall is still a versatile player with solid tackling ability, giving him a shot at being a depth cornerback on this roster or earning a spot on the practice squad. He will face stiff competition to earn that spot, with Phillips, Cobee Bryant, Darnay Holmes, Mike Ford Jr., C.J. Henderson, and Natrone Brooks all standing in his way.
For now, he is the second player from that 2021 draft class (Terry Fontenot’s first as a general manager) to receive some form of a second contract (Kyle Pitts was franchise tagged earlier this offseason) – it just did not happen the way anyone expected. Hall now becomes the third former Falcon to join the roster via free agency this offseason after stints with other franchises (Austin Hooper and Olamide Zaccheaus).
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