FAA Investigating Near Collision at Portland Airport

Federal authorities are investigating a near collision between a passenger plane and a land vehicle at Portland International Airport on Tuesday.

Jetport spokesman Zachary Sundquist did not provide many details in a press release confirming that airport officials were actively participating in an investigation with the Federal Aviation Administration into the departure of Southwest Airlines Flight 4805 on June 25.

“We are grateful to airport personnel for maintaining surveillance of the situation, identifying in real time the aircraft entering the runway environment and immediately removing the airport vehicle from the runway,” Sundquist said. “We will not be making any further statements due to the ongoing investigation.”

Newsweek reports that a Boeing 737 nearly struck a vehicle during takeoff Tuesday morning while the runway was closed and inspected for safety.

Controllers can be heard warning the pilot that the runway was closed and that there was a vehicle on the runway, in an audio recording obtained by Portland television station WMTW. The controller then says, “I tried to warn him.”

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