FAA Probes Near-Miss at Newark Airport

Federal aviation officials launched an investigation Thursday into a near-collision Tuesday night between a commercial airliner and a cargo plane at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. The incident involved an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 and a FedEx Boeing 777 approaching intersecting runways, prompting air traffic controllers to order the passenger jet to abort its landing.

The close call occurred around 8:15 p.m. as Alaska Airlines Flight 294, en route from Portland, Oregon, descended for landing on one runway. At the same time, FedEx Flight 721 from Memphis, Tennessee, had been cleared for its final approach on a crossing runway. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, an air traffic controller instructed the Alaska flight to execute a go-around, directing the pilots to climb and circle back for another attempt. Radar data indicated the Alaska plane passed over the FedEx aircraft at an altitude of about 300 to 325 feet, averting a potential disaster.

No injuries were reported, and both aircraft landed safely after the maneuver. The Alaska flight carried 171 passengers and six crew members, the airline confirmed. The National Transportation Safety...