It is with a deep sigh of relief that we are Monday morning quarterbacking an event that could have been a monumental tragedy at JFK International Airport in New York. On Friday, January 13, at approximately 19:00 local time, a runway incursion occurred that involved a departing Delta Air Lines Boeing 737 and a taxiing American Airlines Boeing 777. Simply stated, contrary to controller instructions, the 777 crossed an active runway while the 737 was accelerating on its takeoff roll.
First, kudos to the tower controller for his timely reaction. I am certain that he took more than just a deep breath when his shift was complete. This was a nighttime operation, making it that much more difficult to assess the situation.
