Feds investigate airplanes that almost crashed at Midway after confusing their flight numbers

Southwest plane
(Image credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

A federal investigation has been opened up after Delta Air Lines flight 1328 rolled onto the runway at the same time that Southwest Airlines flight 3828 had been cleared for takeoff. Both planes were operating at full takeoff power, which, according to the Chicago Tribune, is standard procedure at Midway due to the short runways.

"Stop, stop, stop, stop!" the air traffic controller can be heard yelling followed by the pilots reporting, "aborting" and "SWA stopping." The planes had made it around a third of the way down their runways, stopping a little over 2,000 feet from where they intersect.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.