Runway Incursion Halts Flight
American Airlines Flight in Miami Aborts Takeoff After Business Jet Enters Runway
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An American Airlines flight to Bermuda narrowly avoided a collision on a Miami runway Friday evening after a business jet crossed into its path during takeoff. The pilots of Flight 308 executed a high-speed rejected takeoff, bringing the Airbus A319 to a stop with the two aircraft just 1,760 feet — about one-third of a mile — apart, according to CNN.
The incident happened around 6 p.m. ET at Miami International Airport. A tense radio exchange followed between the air traffic controller and the pilot of the intruding jet. Flight 308 eventually departed for Bermuda, arriving about two hours late, KCRA reported.
A Business Jet Crosses an Active Runway Mid-Takeoff
Flight 308, an Airbus A319 carrying up to 128 passengers, had just begun its takeoff roll when its crew spotted a NetJets business jet on the runway ahead. The pilots immediately triggered a rejected takeoff — an emergency stop performed at high speed. American Airlines praised its crew, saying: "We appreciate the quick actions of our crew members and thank our customers for their understanding," according to CNN.
The NetJets jet was not being flown by NetJets pilots. The company said the aircraft was "operationally controlled by a third-party maintenance vendor" at the time, CNN reported. That detail — maintenance workers taxiing a jet near active runways — has become a central focus of the investigation.
A Controller Mistake May Have Sparked the Runway Chaos
Audio from LiveATC.com reveals the air traffic controller may have confused the NetJets jet with a cargo plane called Amerijet Flight 461, which was also on the field. Investigators believe the controller's verbal mix-up — known as "expectation bias" — led the maintenance crew to enter the active runway. The FAA has labeled the event a "Category B" runway incursion, meaning there was a genuine potential for collision.
Aviation analysts say maintenance crews pose a unique risk. "When you have maintenance crews moving planes, they may not have the same situational awareness as a line pilot," one analyst told KETV. The FAA is now expected to push for stricter rules on third-party vendors who taxi aircraft at major airports.
Miami's Runway Safety Record Already Under Scrutiny
Miami International Airport is in the middle of a multi-year runway safety upgrade project. The work targets "Hot Spot #4," a historically confusing intersection of two runways. Nationwide, the FAA tracks 453 active hot spots across more than 150 U.S. airports. Miami-Dade has set aside $14 billion for airport improvements, including runway safety upgrades, according to WISN.
Friday's close call is part of a troubling pattern in 2026. A fatal collision at LaGuardia in March killed multiple people. On June 21, American and Delta jets had a near-miss at Boston Logan. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has cited this string of incidents to push a proposed $20 billion overhaul of the nation's air traffic control system, KETV reported.
Passengers Felt the Jolt — Flight Later Made It to Bermuda
Passengers on Flight 308 described a "violent jolt" during the emergency stop. After the abort, the plane returned to the gate for a safety inspection. The aircraft was cleared and took off again at 7:51 p.m. ET, arriving in Bermuda roughly two hours behind schedule, according to FlightAware data cited by KCRA.
Some passengers vented frustration online over the delay. Others expressed relief. The incident has added new urgency to calls for faster installation of runway safety technology. The FAA plans to expand its Runway Incursion Device — a memory aid for controllers — to 74 more airports by the end of 2026.
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