Austin–Bergstrom International Airport runway incident
The Austin–Bergstrom International Airport runway incident on May 7, 2020 involved an adult male pedestrian who breached the airport's security and was fatally struck by a Boeing 737-700 operated on Southwest Airlines Flight 1392 (between Dallas Love Field and Austin–Bergstrom International Airport) as it landed on runway 17R. No injuries to passengers or crew in the aircraft were reported, however the plane sustained damage to its left engine nacelle.[3][4][5][6]
![]() The aircraft involved in the incident, N401WN, at Los Angeles International Airport in 2015 | |
Accident | |
---|---|
Date | 7 May 2020 |
Summary | Runway incursion, individual struck by landing aircraft, under investigation |
Site | Austin–Bergstrom International Airport, Austin, Texas |
Total fatalities | 1 |
Aircraft | |
Aircraft type | Boeing 737-7H4[1] |
Operator | Southwest Airlines |
IATA flight No. | WN1392 |
ICAO flight No. | SWA1392 |
Registration | N401WN[2] |
Flight origin | Dallas Love Field |
Destination | Austin–Bergstrom International Airport |
Occupants | 58 |
Passengers | 53 |
Crew | 5 |
Fatalities | 0 |
Survivors | 58 |
Ground casualties | |
Ground fatalities | 1 |
The accident and security breach are currently undergoing investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration, local law enforcement, and the Transportation Security Administration.[4][6][7][8]
Accident
At approximately 8:12 PM CDT,[9] Flight 1392 reported that they "saw an unauthorized individual" on the runway before the plane landed.[10] A short time later, a pilot on Flight 1392 reported seeing a person on the runway shortly after the plane touched down. A subsequent search with an airport operation vehicle found a body on the runway and the adult victim was declared dead at the scene.[7] A spokesman with Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services said that "no lifesaving measures" were performed because "the person was obviously deceased."[6]
The victim was not authorized to be on the runway at the time.[9] Shortly after the incident, the runway was closed for investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration.[4][7] CBS News revealed that the left engine nacelle of the aircraft had been damaged, but authorities did not confirm that the damage was directly related to impact with the pedestrian.[6]
Aircraft
The accident aircraft was a Boeing 737-7H4, registered in the United States as N401WN,[1] msn 29813. It was built in 2001 for Southwest Airlines.[11][12]
On 10 May, the aircraft was placed back in service.[1]
Investigation
In a statement on 8 May, the city of Austin website reported that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) "has delegated [its] authority to the Austin Police Department to lead the investigation".[13] That same day, a communications manager for the airport confirmed that the victim was not a badged airport employee.[14] On 11 May, the Austin Police Department identified the victim as 22-year-old Junin Ko, and an airport spokesperson characterized the occurrence as a "security breach" and a "runway incursion" but refused to comment on how Ko gained access to the runway.[8]
References
- "Flight history for aircraft - N401WN". Flightradar24. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- "Flight history for Southwest Airlines flight WN1392". Flightradar24. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- "Jetliner Hits, Kills Man on Austin Airport Runway". NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth. Retrieved 2020-05-08.
- "Man struck, killed by Southwest flight as it landed at Austin airport". KVIA.com. Austin, Texas: KVIA. Associated Press. 8 May 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- "Southwest Airlines Flight Hits, Kills Man on Austin, Texas Airport Runway". Time. Retrieved 2020-05-08.
- Hauser, Christine (8 May 2020). "Southwest Flight Hits and Kills Person on Austin Airport Runway". The New York Times. New York City. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- Perper, Rosie. "FAA says it is investigating reports that a person was struck and killed by a plane at Austin international airport". Business Insider. Retrieved 2020-05-08.
- Bradshaw, Kelsey (11 May 2020). "Police ID man killed on runway; how he got there remains mystery". Austin American-Statesman. Austin, Texas. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
- Smith, Tierra (2020-05-08). "Person hit and killed by Southwest airplane on runway in Austin, airport says". KPRC. Retrieved 2020-05-08.
- Reuters (2020-05-08). "One Person Dead After Being Struck by Plane Landing at Airport in Austin, Texas". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-05-08.
- "Boeing 737 NG / Max - MSN 29813 - N401WN | Airfleets aviation". www.airfleets.net. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
- "N401WN Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-7H4(WL)". www.planespotters.net. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
- "AUS Statement on Pedestrian Fatality | AustinTexas.gov". www.austintexas.gov. 8 May 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
- Holcombe, Madeline; Silverman, Hollie (8 May 2020). "A man found dead on an airport runway in Austin was not a badged airport employee". CNN. Retrieved 9 May 2020.