Close Call in Nashville as Two Southwest Airlines Aircraft Execute Evasive Maneuvers

Near Midair Collision Averted in Nashville

On Saturday, two Southwest Airlines planes had to take evasive action to avoid colliding in Nashville after an air traffic controller directed one pilot to turn into the path of the other plane. This incident comes on the heels of a tragic collision that occurred last year, on January 29, 2025, near Washington D.C. between an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter, resulting in the loss of all 67 people on board both aircraft.

Midair collisions are rare in commercial flights, where planes are equipped with systems to alert pilots about potential collisions. However, most close calls involve small planes that do not have these systems. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was unable to provide a number for the annual incidence of such collisions.

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In February 2025, a collision involving a small plane in Arizona resulted in the deaths of two people. The FAA is investigating the recent incident involving the two Southwest Airlines planes. According to audio posted by LiveATC.net, both pilots involved in the incident reported receiving alarms from their collision avoidance systems, which directed them to take action.

Location data from the two planes indicates that their flight paths converged after one pilot decided to abort landing and circle around to try again. The air traffic controller then directed the plane that had just taken off to turn into the path of the other Southwest plane, which had already climbed above 2,000 feet. The planes reportedly came as close as 500 feet apart, according to FlightRadar24.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident, which occurred around 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. Southwest Airlines spokesperson Lynn Lunsford stated that gusty winds at the Nashville International Airport prompted the first pilot to perform a go around, and both pilots followed the directions from the air traffic controller and their onboard collision avoidance systems to avoid running into each other.