American Airlines pilots involved in close call at JFK will comply with subpoenas
National Transportation Safety Board said it attempted to interview American Airlines crew 3 times
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American Airlines pilots will testify before the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) following a runway incursion at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport last month.
"The pilots intend to appear for their interviews in accordance with the subpoenas," the Allied Pilots Association, the union representing American Airlines pilots, told FOX Business in a statement.
The union further noted that parties to the investigation, other than the NTSB "are prohibited from speaking about the investigation while it is pending under NTSB rules."
FAA TO FORM SAFETY REVIEW TEAM FOLLOWING CLOSE CALLS
Three American Airlines pilots were hit with subpoenas last week after officials say they were unwilling to proceed with recorded interviews regarding the close call with another plane operated by Delta Air Lines in January.
American Airlines airplanes parked at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday in New York, on Nov. 23, 2022. ( Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
According to federal investigators, the American Airlines Boeing 777 crossed an active runway on Jan. 13 without approval from air traffic controllers. That led to a close call with a Delta Air Lines Boeing 737 that was taking off on the same runway.
However, a collision was avoided after an air traffic controller told the pilots of the Delta jet to stop their takeoff.
UNITED FLIGHT THAT DOVE WITHIN 800 FEET OF SEA ONE OF RECENT FLIGHT CLOSE CALLS
Audio recordings show that the controller immediately communicated the severity of the situation to the American Airlines crew.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAL | AMERICAN AIRLINES GROUP INC. | 14.20 | -0.26 | -1.80% |
The NTSB is seeking to get recorded interviews from the pilots regarding the incident. The agency said it attempted to interview the crew three times.
"NTSB has determined that this investigation requires that the flight crew interviews be audio recorded and transcribed by a court reporter to ensure the highest degree of accuracy, completeness, and efficiency," the agency said in a preliminary report. "As a result of the flight crew’s repeated unwillingness to proceed with a recorded interview, subpoenas for their testimony have been issued."
The flight the kind gesture was caught on was headed to JFK Airport in New York City. (REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo / Reuters Photos)
After the incident, one of a handful of close calls in recent months, acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen declared that he was forming a review team to analyze the aviation system.
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"We are experiencing the safest period in aviation history, but we cannot take this for granted," Nolen wrote in a memo this week. "Recent events remind us that we must not become complacent. Now is the time to stare into the data and ask hard questions."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.