The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating a serious near-miss involving two Southwest Airlines aircraft at Nashville International Airport, after the jets came within just 500 feet of vertical separation.
The incident occurred Saturday evening (April 18) as Southwest Flight WN507 from Baltimore and Myrtle Beach (Boeing 737 MAX 8 reg. N8904L) was attempting to land in gusty conditions. The crew initiated a precautionary go-around, a standard safety manoeuvre. Still, it was then given instructions by air traffic control that placed the aircraft on a potential collision course with another Southwest flight, WN1152 operated by Boeing 737-700 reg. N441WN, departing to Knoxville from a parallel runway.
According to investigators, both flight crews responded to onboard collision-avoidance alerts, taking evasive action to prevent a midair conflict. At their closest point, the aircraft were effectively “on top of one another,” according to flight tracking data.
Flight WN507 later landed safely, while the departing flight WN1152 continued its climb without further incident. No injuries were reported.
The FAA said it is examining the sequence of air traffic control instructions that led to the conflict. Aviation experts noted that the aircraft’s onboard safety systems—designed to warn pilots of imminent collision risks—played a critical role in averting a potentially catastrophic outcome.
Southwest Airlines praised the crews’ response, emphasising that safety remains its top priority.