Runway Incursion Prompts Southwest Jet to Abort Takeoff in San Antonio

FAA investigating after private plane mistakenly entered active runway, narrowly avoiding collision with departing Southwest flight.

Jan. 30, 2026 at 1:39pm

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A Southwest Airlines flight was forced to abort its takeoff at San Antonio International Airport on Tuesday after a small private plane mistakenly entered the active runway. Air traffic controllers quickly ordered the Southwest jet, which was traveling at over 100 mph, to cancel its takeoff clearance to avoid a potential collision. No injuries were reported, and the Southwest flight later departed safely for Dallas. The FAA has opened an investigation into the incident.

Why it matters

Runway incursions, where an aircraft, vehicle, or person enters an active runway without authorization, pose a serious threat to aviation safety. This close call in San Antonio highlights the importance of vigilance and coordination between pilots, air traffic control, and airport operations to prevent such dangerous situations.

The details

According to reports, Southwest Flight 4996 was accelerating for departure to Dallas when air traffic controllers spotted a small propeller aircraft that had made a "wrong turn" and entered the same active runway. Controllers immediately ordered the Southwest crew to abort the takeoff, which was occurring at over 103 mph. Audio recordings capture the controller's urgent command to "Cancel takeoff clearance! Cancel takeoff clearance, Southwest!" The two aircraft were reportedly separated by only about 2,000 feet at one point.

  • The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon at San Antonio International Airport.
  • The Southwest flight was preparing to depart for Dallas Love Field Airport.

The players

Southwest Airlines

A major U.S. airline that operates flights across the country, including the aborted takeoff in San Antonio.

San Antonio International Airport

The airport where the runway incursion incident took place, located in San Antonio, Texas.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

The U.S. government agency responsible for regulating and overseeing civil aviation, which has opened an investigation into the incident.

Jesus Saenz

The director of airports for San Antonio, who commented on the incident and stated that while not normal, "things happen" and the focus is on being as safe as possible.

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What they’re saying

“I'm not gonna say that's normal, because it's not, but things happen. We focus on being as safe as possible in everything that we do.”

— Jesus Saenz, Director of Airports, San Antonio (KENS 5)

What’s next

The FAA has opened an investigation to determine the exact cause of the private plane's entry onto the active runway and what steps can be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The takeaway

This close call in San Antonio underscores the critical importance of strict runway safety protocols and coordination between air traffic control, pilots, and airport operations to avert potential disasters. While incidents like this are rare, they highlight the need for continued vigilance to maintain the highest levels of aviation safety.