The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating a runway incursion after an American Airlines Boeing 777 came too close to an Air Canada Airbus A321 at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). The incident occurred on the afternoon of Monday, April 21, 2026.
According to the FAA, the American Airlines jet, arriving from Dallas-Fort Worth, was instructed to hold short of a runway while taxiing. The pilot instead crossed the runway hold line. An air traffic controller then instructed an Air Canada plane, which had just landed from Toronto, to cross that same runway. The controller canceled the crossing instruction when they realized the American Airlines jet had not stopped in the correct position.
The FAA stated the two aircraft came within an estimated 2,100 feet of each other. No injuries were reported, and the investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the incursion. Both airlines have acknowledged the incident and stated they are cooperating fully with authorities.
This event follows increased scrutiny of aviation safety by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) after a series of similar close calls at U.S. airports in recent years.
