Southwest Airliner Goes Around As Flexjet Aircraft Crosses Runway

The National Transportation Safety Board released its Preliminary Report that revealed sun glare may have been a contributing factor.in a February 25, 2025 incident at Midway Airport (MDW) in Chicago that nearly resulted in a collision when a Flexjet aircraft crossed a runway in front of a landing Southwest Airlines jet.

The Southwest crew performed a go-around to avoid hitting the Flexjet aircraft. The agency said in its report that the Flexjet crew was instructed by ground control to “turn left onto runwy 04L, cross runway 31L, and hold short of runway 31C” where the Southwest aircraft was arriving.

The report said, "According to post-incident statements, the flight crew of LXJ560 indicated that as they turned left onto runway 4L/22R, the sun was impeding visibility from the right side of the aircraft – the direction in which the Southwest jet was heading towards them.”

The report added that the Flexjet crew "did not recall seeing any hold short line/pavement markings or any other signs for the 31L intersection as they taxied onto runway 04L/22R.

"They further stated that runway 13R/31L appeared to have a very similar width to taxiways and that they had not recognized it as a runway. The captain stated that as he approached runway 13C/31C he had thought it was runway 13R/31L. As they approached the runway intersection the crew stated they both looked to the left and to the right and did not observe the SWA [Southwest] airplane on final."

According to the NTSB, "As LXJ560 approached the hold short line for runway 31C the ground controller instructed LXJ560 to hold short, but the transmission was not acknowledged.”

After the incident, the Flexjet captain parked the aircraft and "subsequently contacted the operator to notify them of the possible pilot deviation, assessed their wellbeing to continue the flight, and subsequently departed about 25 minutes after the runway incursion."

FMI:  www.ntsb.gov/