The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a late Wednesday close call at Los Angeles International Airport involving a Frontier Airlines jet and two trucks, days after a deadly runway crash at New York’s LaGuardia Airport. According to the FAA, several vehicles on a service road crossed in front of the plane at about 11:25 p.m. while the aircraft was moving on a taxiway at a slow speed. The FAA said no one was hurt.
The Associated Press reported that the Frontier pilot sounded alarm in communications with air traffic control and slammed on the brakes to avoid the collision. The pilot, speaking on the audio posted by ATC.com, said, “It was real close. The closest I have ever seen,” as he told the tower he had to slam on the brakes to avoid the trucks.
Frontier Airlines issued a statement thanking its crew. “We thank our crew for their vigilance and professionalism,” the airline said, according to the report.
The incident drew attention partly because it occurred just weeks after the LaGuardia crash, in which an Air Canada jet carrying 76 people collided with a fire truck while landing on March 22, killing both pilots and injuring dozens of people. In that crash, the report said an air traffic controller cleared the fire truck to cross the runway less than 20 seconds beforehand, then urgently called for the truck to stop seconds later.
At LAX, the report described the incident as occurring in an area where planes were communicating with air traffic controllers about their movements, while ground vehicles were expected to yield to aircraft. The report said airport officials did not respond immediately to questions about what procedures were in place to prevent collisions like the one that nearly occurred.
Aviation safety expert Steve Arroyo, identified as a longtime United Airlines pilot, said incidents like the LAX close call occur frequently on taxiways nationwide, but typically go unnoticed when the aircraft avoids striking the vehicles. “Multiple incidents, accidents happening, just in March alone, I think it’s time to put some serious eyes on what’s going on on the ramp,” Arroyo said.
Arroyo’s comments reflected a broader concern about operations beyond runways, including airport ramp and service-road traffic that can create risk when aircraft and vehicles do not remain perfectly separated. With the FAA investigation underway, investigators are expected to examine what led the trucks to cross in front of the taxiing aircraft and how controllers and vehicle operators coordinated during the incident.