A Learjet pilot thought he was cleared to take off. He wasn’t. Luckily, JetBlue pilots saw him

KIFI

Published August 3, 2023 5:02 PM

By DAVID KOENIG
AP Airlines Writer

Federal investigators say the pilot of a charter jet took off without permission, causing an approaching JetBlue plane to cancel its landing at the last second. The incident happened at Boston’s Logan International Airport in February. The National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday that the charter captain heard air traffic controllers tell him to wait, “but in his mind, they were cleared for takeoff.” The plane was operated for charter company Hop-A-Jet. Air traffic controllers say the JetBlue Embraer plane pulled up and passed about 400 feet over the Hop-A-Jet Learjet. The incident is one of several earlier this year that have raised alarms about aviation safety in the U.S.

Article Topic Follows: AP National

Jump to comments ↓

Associated Press

BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION

KIFI Local News 8 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation.

Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here

If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here.