The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating a near collision that occurred late Wednesday (April 8) at Los Angeles International Airport, when a Frontier Airlines jet narrowly avoided two trucks crossing its path on a taxiway. The incident happened just before 11:30 p.m., as Frontier Flight 3216 was preparing for takeoff to Atlanta.
According to audio from LiveATC.net, the pilot of Frontier Flight 3216 radioed ground control, saying, “We just had two trucks just cut us off. We had to slam on the brakes not to hit them.” The pilot described the event as “real close. Closest I’d ever seen,” and added, “It happened so fast both of us were just like ‘holy s***’ and we slammed on the brakes.”
No injuries were reported on board, and after confirming the safety of passengers and crew, the plane proceeded to take off for its scheduled flight. Frontier Airlines released a statement thanking their crew for their vigilance and professionalism.
The close call occurred in an “ATC non-visibility area,” where air traffic controllers cannot see planes due to a building blocking their view. While air traffic controllers communicate directly with pilots in this area, they do not communicate with ground vehicle drivers. Vehicles on service roads are required to yield to aircraft, but in this case, the trucks crossed ahead of the moving plane, which was traveling at about 15 mph.
This incident comes just weeks after a deadly crash at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, where an Air Canada Express jet collided with a fire truck crossing the runway, resulting in the deaths of two pilots and injuries to dozens of people. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of that crash.
The FAA’s investigation at Los Angeles International Airport is ongoing, with officials reviewing procedures and communications to prevent future incidents. Airport officials have not yet responded to questions about current protocols or potential changes.
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