Officials investigate Southwest flight that departed from closed runway
There is a heightened focus on the aviation industry after a spate of runway incursions, near-miss events at airports nationwide
Customers choose Priceline for travel planning due to maximized options, 'deeper discounts': Brett Keller
Priceline CEO Brett Keller looks ahead to summer travel and the prices to expect for ground and air transportation.
Federal aviation officials are investigating a Southwest Airlines flight that departed from a closed runway at a Maine airport.
Both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) told FOX Business that they are looking into the June 25 incident that occurred at Portland International Jetport.
The FAA also said an airport vehicle exited the runway just before the plane began its takeoff roll around 5:45 a.m. local time.
BOEING HAS A ‘MORAL COMPASS PROBLEM,’ VETERAN PILOT ARGUES
The NTSB told FOX Business that a preliminary report regarding the incident will be made available in about 30 days.
A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 airplane in Baltimore, Maryland. (Angus Mordant/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
That report will contain information gathered during the initial phase of the investigation. However, a probable cause and any contributing factors won't be disclosed until the final report is issued in about 12 to 24 months, the NTSB said.
BOEING RE-ELECTS OUTGOING CEO AS SEARCH FOR REPLACEMENT CONTINUE AMID SAFETY CULTURE CRISIS
Southwest told FOX Business that it is working with both agencies "to understand the circumstances" of the early morning Southwest departure.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LUV | SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO. | 28.61 | +0.14 | +0.51% |
"After departure, the aircraft continued safely to its destination," Southwest said in a statement.
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
The carrier deferred any additional comments to the NTSB.
This comes at a time when there has been heightened focus on the aviation industry after a spate of runway incursions and near-miss events at airports nationwide.