Aeromexico flight nearly lands on occupied San Francisco runway, 3rd close call in 6 months

SAN FRANCISCO – An Aeromexico passenger jet was ordered to abort a landing at San Francisco International Airport as it descended toward a runway occupied by another commercial jet, the third close call at the busy airport in six months.

Aeromexico Flight 668 from Mexico City had been cleared to land Tuesday and it was about 1.6 kilometres from the airport when controllers saw the aircraft was lined up for a runway occupied by a Virgin America Airbus A320 jet waiting to take off for Kona, Hawaii, the San Jose Mercury News reported Thursday.

The tower ordered the Aeromexico Boeing 737 jet to circle around.

READ MORE: Air Canada flight told to abort landing 6 times over fear of plane on tarmac, lands anyway

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“Aeromexico 668 go around!” an air traffic controller is heard saying on audio recordings, the newspaper reported.

The pilot quickly acknowledges the request to abort the landing: “Aeromexico 668 going around.”

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The plane later safely landed, said Ian Gregor, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman. He said the FAA has opened an investigation.

An Air Canada flight crew landed in October on one of the airport’s runways despite repeated warnings to abort because a controller believed another airplane had not left the area yet.

READ MORE: Air Canada plane’s close call prompts rule change at San Francisco airport

In July, an Air Canada jet with 140 people on board nearly landed on one of the airport’s taxiways where four planes were waiting to take off, prompting the FAA to issue new rules for nighttime landings and control tower staffing at the airport.