CLEVELAND — The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating a close-call incident near an Ohio airport.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
On Saturday, Nov. 1, the NTSB shared on social media that they were going to send a team to investigate a “loss of separation event” between an inbound Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 and a Eurocopter helicopter near the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
NTSB is sending a team to investigate a loss of separation event between an inbound Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 and a Eurocopter helicopter that occurred on Oct. 29 near the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport in Ohio.
— NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) November 1, 2025
TRENDING STORIES:
- 1 hospitalized after reported shooting on University of Dayton campus; Shelter-in-place lifted
- 911 caller says driver went wrong way in deadly crash on I-75
- $20K worth of stolen items recovered in Clark County; 3 arrested
The close-call incident occurred on Oct. 29, according to the social media post.
A loss of separation occurs when two aircraft come closer together than the minimum safe distance, CBS affiliate WOIO-19 reported.
On Friday, Oct. 31, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shared a social media post ensuring safety amid staffing shortages related to the ongoing Government shutdown.
“As we continue to reiterate, we will never compromise on safety. When staffing shortages occur, the FAA will reduce the flow of air traffic to maintain safety,” the FAA said in the post. “This may result in delays or cancellations.”
Air traffic controllers have been working without pay for the past 31 days due to the shutdown, according to the FAA.
Nearly 13,000 air traffic controllers have been working without pay for weeks, ensuring the safety of more than 50,000 daily operations across the national airspace system (NAS).
— The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) November 1, 2025
As we head into this weekend, a surge in callouts is straining staffing levels at multiple…
WOIO-19 reached out to the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, which shared the following statement:
“The airspace is the FAA’s jurisdiction. I recommend reaching out to them or NTSB for further information.”
— Spokesperson for Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
When reaching out to Southwest Airlines regarding the incident, WOIO-19 received the following statement:
“Southwest Airlines Flight 1333 landed safely at Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport on October 29 after the Pilots discontinued their initial approach to the runway due to the presence of another aircraft. The Pilots were in contact with Air Traffic Control throughout the event, and the Boeing 737-700 landed uneventfully a short time later.
Southwest appreciates the professionalism of our Crew in responding to the situation. We are engaged with the National Transportation Safety Board and will support the investigation. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the Safety of our Customers and Employees."
— Spokesperson for Southwest Airlines.
The close-call event remains under investigation by the NTSB.
News Center 7 will continue following this story.
[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
