Near collision at Mexico City airport averted by quick-thinking pilots

On July 21, 2025, two passenger aircraft narrowly avoided a collision at Mexico City’s Benito Juarez International Airport due to a dispatcher error, according to US media.

The incident is currently under investigation by the relevant aviation authorities, with the flight crews credited for preventing a potential disaster.

The near miss involved AeroMéxico Connect flight 1631, an Embraer 190 regional aircraft, which was approaching for landing, and Delta Air Lines flight 590, a Boeing 737 that had already begun its takeoff roll on runway 5R. The Delta flight carried 144 passengers and six crew members.

According to Delta, the Boeing 737 crew saw the approaching plane directly ahead in time and immediately aborted their takeoff, safely returning to the terminal. The delayed flight eventually departed for Atlanta about three hours later.

Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 confirmed that the Embraer 190 passed less than 200 feet (approximately 60 meters) above the Delta aircraft, which was already moving along the runway.

The landing occurred directly in front of the departing plane, creating a highly dangerous situation that could have resulted in a catastrophic collision if the pilots had reacted even slightly slower.

Following the incident, Delta Air Lines reported the event to Mexican authorities, including the Mexican Civil Aviation Authority, as well as to U.S. regulators — the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

The investigation is ongoing to establish the full circumstances behind the dispatcher's error and to prevent similar incidents in the future.

By Tamilla Hasanova