An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 MAX, registration N738AL performing flight AS-294 from Portland,OR to Newark,NJ (USA) with 175 passengers and 6 crew, was cleared to land on Newark's runway 22L and on short final.
A Fedex Federal Express Boeing 777-200 freighter, registration N853FD performing flight FX-721 from Memphis,TN to Newark,NJ (USA) with 2 crew, was cleared to land on runway 29 and on short final.
When AS-294 was descending through about 250 feet AGL tower instructed the aircraft to go around and climb to 2000 feet. The crew complied, initiated the go around at about 200 feet AGL and climbed above the landing Boeing 777-200. The aircraft was handed off to departure and subsequently to arrival, who assured the crew it had been all ATC's fault and apologized. The aircraft positioned for another ILS approach to runway 22L and landed without further incident.
According to ADS-B data transmitted by both aircraft AS-294 in the go around overflew FX-721 on runway 29 at around 300 feet AGL.
The FAA reported: "An air traffic controller instructed Alaska Airlines Flight 294 to perform a go-around at Newark International Airport because FedEx Flight 721 was cleared for the final approach to an intersecting runway. The FAA is investigating the event, which occurred around 8:15 p.m. local time on Tuesday, March 17."
The NTSB reported: "The NTSB is investigating a close call at Newark Liberty Airport on March 17 in which an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 overflew a FedEx Boeing 777 while both jets were attempting to land on crossing runways."
On Aug 19th 2026 the NTSB reported they are conducting a class 4 investigation, a preliminary report will not be published, however, a final report will be published once the investigation has been concluded.
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/ASA294/history/20260317/1749Z/KPDX/KEWR
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/FDX721/history/20260317/2039Z/KMEM/KEWR
Metars:
KEWR 180151Z 25015G20KT 10SM FEW050 SCT080 01/M10 A3012 RMK AO2 SLP197 T00061100 $=
KEWR 180051Z 27016G24KT 10SM FEW055 SCT080 01/M11 A3008 RMK AO2 PK WND 26031/0026 SLP185 VIRGA N AND E T00111111 $=
KEWR 172351Z 26016G22KT 10SM FEW055 BKN070 BKN250 02/M12 A3003 RMK AO2 PK WND 26026/2304 SLP170 VIRGA T00221117 10061 20022 53038 $=
KEWR 172251Z 28016G27KT 10SM FEW060 BKN075 BKN250 03/M14 A3000 RMK AO2 PK WND 28032/2213 SLP157 VIRGA T00281139 $=
KEWR 172151Z 28018G24KT 10SM SCT065 BKN080 BKN250 04/M13 A2996 RMK AO2 PK WND 26031/2132 SLP144 T00391133 $=
KEWR 172051Z 30015G27KT 10SM SCT060 SCT250 05/M13 A2992 RMK AO2 PK WND 30032/1957 SLP132 T00501133 53016 $=
KEWR 171951Z 29022G33KT 10SM SCT060 SCT250 04/M14 A2990 RMK AO2 PK WND 29033/1947 SLP124 T00391139 $=
Map (Graphics: AVH/Google Earth):
A Fedex Federal Express Boeing 777-200 freighter, registration N853FD performing flight FX-721 from Memphis,TN to Newark,NJ (USA) with 2 crew, was cleared to land on runway 29 and on short final.
When AS-294 was descending through about 250 feet AGL tower instructed the aircraft to go around and climb to 2000 feet. The crew complied, initiated the go around at about 200 feet AGL and climbed above the landing Boeing 777-200. The aircraft was handed off to departure and subsequently to arrival, who assured the crew it had been all ATC's fault and apologized. The aircraft positioned for another ILS approach to runway 22L and landed without further incident.
According to ADS-B data transmitted by both aircraft AS-294 in the go around overflew FX-721 on runway 29 at around 300 feet AGL.
The FAA reported: "An air traffic controller instructed Alaska Airlines Flight 294 to perform a go-around at Newark International Airport because FedEx Flight 721 was cleared for the final approach to an intersecting runway. The FAA is investigating the event, which occurred around 8:15 p.m. local time on Tuesday, March 17."
The NTSB reported: "The NTSB is investigating a close call at Newark Liberty Airport on March 17 in which an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 overflew a FedEx Boeing 777 while both jets were attempting to land on crossing runways."
On Aug 19th 2026 the NTSB reported they are conducting a class 4 investigation, a preliminary report will not be published, however, a final report will be published once the investigation has been concluded.
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/ASA294/history/20260317/1749Z/KPDX/KEWR
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/FDX721/history/20260317/2039Z/KMEM/KEWR
Metars:
KEWR 180151Z 25015G20KT 10SM FEW050 SCT080 01/M10 A3012 RMK AO2 SLP197 T00061100 $=
KEWR 180051Z 27016G24KT 10SM FEW055 SCT080 01/M11 A3008 RMK AO2 PK WND 26031/0026 SLP185 VIRGA N AND E T00111111 $=
KEWR 172351Z 26016G22KT 10SM FEW055 BKN070 BKN250 02/M12 A3003 RMK AO2 PK WND 26026/2304 SLP170 VIRGA T00221117 10061 20022 53038 $=
KEWR 172251Z 28016G27KT 10SM FEW060 BKN075 BKN250 03/M14 A3000 RMK AO2 PK WND 28032/2213 SLP157 VIRGA T00281139 $=
KEWR 172151Z 28018G24KT 10SM SCT065 BKN080 BKN250 04/M13 A2996 RMK AO2 PK WND 26031/2132 SLP144 T00391133 $=
KEWR 172051Z 30015G27KT 10SM SCT060 SCT250 05/M13 A2992 RMK AO2 PK WND 30032/1957 SLP132 T00501133 53016 $=
KEWR 171951Z 29022G33KT 10SM SCT060 SCT250 04/M14 A2990 RMK AO2 PK WND 29033/1947 SLP124 T00391139 $=
Map (Graphics: AVH/Google Earth):
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