Two planes from Delta Airlines and American Airlines narrowly avoided a mid-air collision, sparking an investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The incident occurred at Syracuse Hancock International Airport and involved a total of 159 passengers—80 on Delta Airlines flight 5421 and 79 on American Airlines flight 5511.
Dash camera footage from the North Syracuse Police Department captured the near-miss, showing the planes navigating around a traffic control error. The Delta flight had been cleared for departure from runway 28, while the American Airlines flight was simultaneously cleared to land on the same runway.
The potential collision was first noticed by the American Airlines pilot, who questioned the clearance for takeoff. Air traffic control then instructed the American Airlines flight to “take to the sky” and “go around” to avoid the departing Delta aircraft.
Although the two planes flew extremely close to each other, they managed to avoid a collision. Footage shows one plane ascending as the other descends, appearing to be on a collision course but ultimately passing by each other safely. The planes were reportedly just 725 feet apart, with the American Airlines aircraft flying over the top of the Delta plane.
The FAA is investigating the sequence of events that led to this near-collision. Delta Airlines has stated they are cooperating with aviation authorities to ensure safety remains the top priority.