‘Stop, stop, stop!’: jet carrying Gonzaga basketball team avoids collision at LAX
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The Federal Aviation Administration has launched an investigation after a private jet carrying the Gonzaga University men’s basketball team nearly crossed a runway as another flight was taking off Friday at Los Angeles International Airport. The plane operated by Key Lime Air was ordered by air traffic controllers to stop as a Delta aircraft took off. No one was injured.
“Air traffic controllers directed Key Lime Air Flight 563 to hold short of crossing a runway at Los Angeles International Airport because a second aircraft was taking off from the runway at the time,” the FAA said in a statement. “When the Embraer E135 jet proceeded to cross the hold bars, air traffic controllers told the pilots to stop. The jet never crossed the runway edge line.”.
A plane-spotting livestream shows the incident and captured audio of an air traffic controller telling the Key Lime Air flight to “Stop, stop, stop.” The flight immediately stopped and then proceeded after a few moments. 🚨 “STOP STOP STOP!” LAX ATC urgently called out to a Key Lime Air jet as a Delta jet took off from runway 24L. Was this a runway incursion? All of it captured live during Friday’s Airline Videos Live broadcast. pic.twitter.com/5vwQfVzggQ.
The Gonzaga men were in Los Angeles for their game against UCLA on Saturday. The Bulldogs lost to the Bruins 65-62 in the first college basketball game played at Intuit Dome, the new home of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers. “We understand that the incident at LAX is under investigation and we will review this information as it becomes available,” the university said in an email Monday afternoon. “Our team members aboard the aircraft were unaware of the situation as it occurred and we are grateful that the incident ended safely for all.”.
