NTSB Reports Sun Glare Contributed to Near-Collision at Midway Airport

A preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) indicates that sun glare contributed to a near-collision incident on February 25 at Chicago Midway International Airport involving a Southwest Airlines flight and a Flexjet aircraft. The Southwest flight was on final approach when the Flexjet crew, confused about their taxi instructions, inadvertently crossed into its path, prompting a go-around maneuver just 25 feet above the ground. The Flexjet pilots, unable to see critical signage due to sun glare, misidentified runway markings and failed to acknowledge instructions from air traffic control to hold short of the runway. The NTSB report highlighted that this incident resulted from a combination of factors, including miscommunication and impaired visibility. Fortunately, there were no injuries among the 145 individuals on board the Southwest flight or the three aboard the Flexjet. The investigation remains ongoing as the NTSB seeks to determine further details about the incident’s causes.