FAA and NTSB Investigate Southwest Airlines 737 Flight from Closed Runway in Maine

Jun 28, 2024, 12:45 PM

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched an investigation into a Southwest Airlines flight that departed from a temporarily closed runway at Portland International Jetport (PWM) in Maine earlier this week. The incident involved a Boeing 737, which took off with a ground services vehicle reportedly on the runway. The departure occurred before the air traffic control (ATC) tower opened for the day, and the flight was not on the common radio frequency, making communication difficult. The FAA confirmed the investigation on Friday. Southwest Airlines Co. trades under the ticker $LUV.