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

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.

Due to the similarity in their flight numbers, both pilots had been warned to pay careful attention to their radio calls. Only the Southwest flight had been cleared to takeoff.

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The air traffic controller is then heard on the tapes explaining to the Delta pilot that “somebody kept stepping on you,” or interrupting the call (during a dual transmission, a pilot can only hear some of what is being said).

Delta is "fully cooperating" with the FAA's investigation.