This information is preliminary and subject to change.
On February 4, 2023, at about 0640 central standard time (CST), Federal Express (FedEx) flight 1432 (FDX1432), a Boeing 767-32LF, and Southwest Airlines flight 708 (SWA708), a Boeing 737-79P were involved in a runway incursion with overflight that resulted in a loss of separation at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), Austin, Texas.
No injuries were reported to the 128 passengers and crew onboard the SWA airplane or to the three crew members onboard the FedEx airplane.
SWA flight 708 was a regularly scheduled international passenger flight from AUS to the Cancún International Airport (CUN), Cancún, Mexico.
FedEx flight 1432 was a domestic cargo flight operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 121 from Memphis International Airport (MEM), Memphis, Tennessee to AUS.
The Austin Airport Air Traffic Control Tower (AUS ATCT) Air Traffic Manager (ATM) stated at the time of the incident; there was an extremely low traffic volume and complexity at AUS. The weather at the time of the incident was low instrument flight rules. The following conditions were reported: wind calm, visibility 1/4 mile in freezing fog, vertical visibility 200 ft above ground level, and a temperature minus 1 degree Celsius.
A review of Federal Aviation Administration air traffic control (ATC) audio recordings indicated that at about 0634, the pilots of FDX1432 established communication with the local controller and reported their flight was inbound and established on a CAT III instrument landing system (ILS) approach to runway 18L. The controller provided the pilots with the runway visual range (RVR) values and cleared them to land. The pilots acknowledged this information.
At 0638:49, the first officer (FO) of SWA708 checked in with the local controller and indicated they were holding short of runway 18L and were ready for takeoff. The controller provided them with RVR values, advised them that a FedEx 767 was on a three-mile final (FDX1432), and issued them a standard takeoff clearance from runway 18L.
The FO of SWA708 acknowledged the clearance with a correct readback. SWA708 proceeded to taxi onto runway 18L, lined up with the runway centerline, and came to a complete stop, at which point control of the aircraft was transferred from the captain to the FO. The FO indicated that he advanced the power, checked the engines, and then released the brakes to begin their takeoff roll.
At 0639:32, the pilots of FDX1432 queried the local controller to confirm that they were cleared to land on runway 18L. The captain of FDX1432 asked for confirmation because he was concerned about the Southwest traffic. The controller confirmed FDX1432 was cleared to land and advised them of traffic (SWA708) departing runway 18L ahead of him.
At 0640:12, with FDX1432 on an approximate 0.7-mile final, the local controller queried SWA708 to confirm they were on a roll, to which the captain of SWA708 replied “rolling now.” The captain of FDX1432 noted that at an altitude of about 150 feet, the FO called go-around after visually seeing SWA708 at approximately 1,000 feet to 1,500 feet from the approach end of the runway. At 0640:34, one of the FDX1432 crew broadcasted “Southwest abort” and then at 0640:37, broadcasted that “FedEx is on the go.” According to the SWA708 pilot narratives, the captain noted that somewhere between the speeds of 80 KIAS and V1, he and the first officer heard FedEx call for a go-around.
A review of preliminary Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data revealed that when FDX1432 was at the departure end of the runway climbing out of 1,900 feet, the controller instructed FDX1432 to turn left heading 080 and maintain 3,000 feet. At the same time, SWA708 was about 1,000 ft lower than FDX1432 and began a right turn away from the runway heading.
The AUS ATCT ATM reported an overflight appeared to have occurred; however, the closest proximity has not yet been determined. SWA708 continued their flight plan route to Cancún, and FDX1432 executed a go-around and returned for landing without incident on runway 18L.
Figure 1 is a Google Earth screenshot which is overlaid with the ground tracks of FDX1432 (indicated by purple track) and SWA708 (indicated by red track). The illustration depicts runway 18L and shows each airplane’s travel direction.