A routine landing sequence turned into a tense near-conflict when two aircraft converged on intersecting runways, forcing a last-second go-around that brought them alarmingly close.
On Mar 17th 2026, an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 MAX, registration N738AL, operating flight AS-294 from Portland to Newark, was on short final approach to runway 22L at Newark Liberty International Airport.
At the same time, a FedEx Express Boeing 777-200, registration N853FD, operating flight FX-721 from Memphis, was also on short final—this time to runway 29, an intersecting runway with 22L.
As the Alaska Airlines flight descended through approximately 250 feet above ground level, the situation suddenly changed. Air traffic control issued an urgent instruction for AS-294 to go around and climb to 2,000 feet. The crew reacted immediately, initiating the go-around at about 200 feet AGL.
What followed was a dramatic but controlled maneuver. The 737 climbed out and passed above the FedEx 777, which continued its landing on runway 29. Data later indicated that the Alaska aircraft overflew the FedEx jet at roughly 300 feet vertical separation during the maneuver.
Despite the proximity, both crews maintained full control of their aircraft. The Alaska flight was handed off to departure and then back to arrival control, where controllers reportedly acknowledged the situation and attributed the event to an air traffic control error, offering an apology to the crew.
The Alaska Airlines flight subsequently repositioned for another instrument landing system approach to runway 22L and landed safely without further incident.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that the go-around was instructed because the FedEx aircraft had been cleared for approach to an intersecting runway at the same time. The agency has opened an investigation into the incident, which occurred around 8:15 p.m. local time.
While go-arounds are a standard safety procedure, this event highlights how quickly routine operations can escalate when coordination breaks down. In this case, swift action by the flight crew ensured that what could have become a far more serious situation remained a narrowly avoided conflict.
