Austin airport: FedEx cargo plane avoids collision with Southwest jet - Austin American-Statesman

A FedEx cargo airplane and a Southwest jet avoided a collision at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Saturday, according to the FAA.

A FedEx cargo airplane attempting to land at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Saturday had to reverse course after a passenger plane was cleared to depart from the same runway, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

But just before it was expected to land on Runway 18 Left, an air traffic controller gave the go-ahead for an airplane operated by Southwest Airlines to take off.

In a tweet Saturday, the National Transportation Safety Board described it as a “possible runway incursion and overflight involving airplanes from Southwest Airlines and FedEx.”

Available audio from Live ATC of Austin’s traffic control, which begins about 6:47 a.m., indicates that both pilots were made aware of the other's presence.

Near the end of the recording, after the FedEx plane has landed and said it cleared the runway, the tower apologizes to the pilot and thanks them for their professionalism.