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Delta Air Lines Flight 2351 was arriving at 
Boston Logan International Airport(BOS) around 11:30 AM today when the aircraft was forced to go around due to a runway incursion. As shown in a recording shared by JonNYC on X, air traffic control at BOS cleared 
American Airlines Flight 3161 to take off just before DAL2351 was to touchdown.
The pilots of the Delta Airbus A319 spotted the American Boeing 737-800 beginning its roll down the strip perpendicular to the runway that they were approaching. The Delta aircrew called out to the tower to inform ATC that they would go around before ATC was aware of the situation. Fortunately, the close call ended safely with the aftermath being only a delayed landing.
Quick Thinking In The Cockpit Saves The Day
In the video, AAL3161 crosses through the runway intersection just as DAL2351 would be wheels down if it were not for the pilots’ high situational awareness. The pilots of the Delta A319 are heard calling out their intention to go around to the controller when they spot American’s 737 making an incursion on runway 33L, where they are supposed to land.
In what appears to be a collapse in SA, the controller calls to the AAL3161 pilot as if he is unaware of the reason why the plane is moving down runway 27, saying, “Where are you going?” The pilot of AAL3161 simply responds that they received clearance to take off and continues their takeoff roll as DAL2351 climbs back up for another attempt at landing.
The Federal Aviation Administration gave this comment to SF as the investigation into the situation begins:
“The crew of Delta Air Lines Flight 2351 executed a go-around at Boston Logan International Airport because another aircraft was departing from an intersecting runway. The FAA is investigating the event which occurred around 11:30 a.m. local time on Saturday, June 20.”
Catch what other flight trackers miss
Emergency squawks, holds, NOTAMs — live signals, no signup.
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Catch what other flight trackers miss
Emergency squawks, holds, NOTAMs — live signals, no signup.
Open tracker
Near Miss In Boston: Symptom Of A Chronic Problem
If pilots of the Delta flight had not been vigilant, the consequences of this ATC error could have been tragic and fatal. The timing shown in the video shared by JonNYC shows how DAL2351 was aiming to be wheels down on the tarmac at nearly the exact moment that AAL3161 crosses through runway 33L from runway 27. The incident echoes recurring cases of breakdown in situational awareness around the terminal environment of the airport, which have led to a number of high-profile near-misses and mishaps over the last year.
Since the tragic accident of AAL5342 at Washington Dulles International (IAD) in January of 2025, American airports have come under greater scrutiny. The accident led to the deaths of 67 crew and passengers when the regional jet collided with the army helicopter flying under its approach path. The mishap in DC has brought attention to the alarming rate of near misses due to poor ATC control or aircraft separation, which have continued even with new measures in the aftermath of the accident.
Near-Miss In Boston As Delta A330 Goes Around To Avoid Cape Air Plane On Runway
The two aircraft reportedly came in half a mile of each other, with Delta’s aircraft as low as 150 feet before going around.
Improving Ground Safety For American Flyers
Just months ago, Air Canada Express Flight 8646 collided on the runway with a LaGuardia Airport (LGA) fire truck in an early similar case to the incident today. The outcome of that mishap was lethal, with the impact destroying the cockpit and killing both pilots. Preliminary findings from the Jazz Air disaster point to a breakdown where both the landing regional jet and the emergency vehicle were cleared onto the active runway at the same time.
The FAA has been working to overhaul ATC equipment and improve controller staffing levels around the nation, but continues to see runway incursions as well as other loss-of-separation events. The National Transportation Safety Board has helped with investigations and safety recommendations. As a result, the FAA is pushing updates to Airport Surface Detection Equipment (ASDE-X) and Airport Surface Surveillance Capability (ASSC).
Last year, it was also revealed that BOS is ranked 4th in the US among major airports for frequency of runway incursions, according to NBC. Massport has been working with the FAA on the list of recommendations to improve its ground safety, with initial indications suggesting that taxiways are likely to be redesigned.
