Boeing 737-700 and Airbus Industrie A320 incident near Los Angeles, California, August 16, 2007
On August 16, 2007 at about 7:57 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Boeing 737-700 (CFUWS) and Airbus Industrie A320 (N348NW), were involved in the same incident near Los Angeles, California. No one was hurt; 296 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The LAX north ground controller's failure to properly coordinate with the tower local controller prior to providing taxi instructions that permitted an aircraft to cross an active runway while another aircraft was departing. **This report was modified on December 12, 2007.**
The LAX north ground controller's failure to properly coordinate with the tower local controller prior to providing taxi instructions that permitted an aircraft to cross an active runway while another aircraft was departing. **This report was modified on December 12, 2007.**
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 2007 · about 7:57 pm local time
- Place
- Los Angeles, California · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 296 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Boeing 737-700 · all 737-700s on the register
- Registration
- CFUWS · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
- Aircraft 2
- Airbus Industrie A320 · all A320s on the register
- Registration
- N348NW · registry record
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 737-700 final · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 16, 2007, at approximately 1257 Pacific daylight time, a runway incursion occurred involving West Jet (WJA) 900, B737 and Northwest Airlines (NWA) flight 180, an A320, at Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, California. WJA900 landed on runway 24R and exited at taxiway Y then changed to ground control frequency without authorization while the airplane was holding between the parallel runways. The tower controller cleared NWA180 for takeoff from runway 24L. Meanwhile, the pilot of WJA900 contracted ground control and said, "Ground, WJA900 with you on reverse [taxiway] yankee for gate 35." The ground controller believed that the tower controller had instructed the flight to cross runway 24L and responded, "WJA900, Los Angeles tower, taxi [via taxiway] echo to the gate." Ten seconds later, the pilot of WJA900 confirmed that the flight was cleared to cross runway 24L. The ground controller asked who called and the pilot again asked whether or not they were cleared to cross the runway. The ground controller then realized that WJA900 had not been instructed to cross runway 24L and told WJA900 to stop. According to the FAA and WJA, the airplane crossed the hold short line but did not enter the runway. According to the FAA, the two aircraft missed colliding by 37 feet (wingtip of A320 to the nose of the B737) as NWA180 departed runway 24L. The Airport Movement Area Safety System (AMASS) activated on this incident.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The NTSB's narrative for the Airbus Industrie A320 final · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 16, 2007, at approximately 1257 Pacific daylight time, a runway incursion occurred involving West Jet (WJA) 900, B737 and Northwest Airlines (NWA) flight 180, an A320, at Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, California. WJA900 landed on runway 24R and exited at taxiway Y then changed to ground control frequency without authorization while the airplane was holding between the parallel runways. The tower controller cleared NWA180 for takeoff from runway 24L. Meanwhile, the pilot of WJA900 contracted ground control and said, "Ground, WJA900 with you on reverse [taxiway] yankee for gate 35." The ground controller believed that the tower controller had instructed the flight to cross runway 24L and responded, "WJA900, Los Angeles tower, taxi [via taxiway] echo to the gate." Ten seconds later, the pilot of WJA900 confirmed that the flight was cleared to cross runway 24L. The ground controller asked who called and the pilot again asked whether or not they were cleared to cross the runway. The ground controller then realized that WJA900 had not been instructed to cross runway 24L and told WJA900 to stop. According to the FAA and WJA, the airplane crossed the hold short line but did not enter the runway. According to the FAA, the two aircraft missed colliding by 37 feet (wingtip of A320 to the nose of the B737) as NWA180 departed runway 24L. The Airport Movement Area Safety System (AMASS) activated on this incident.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record for the Boeing 737-700 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Westjet Air Center INC
The flight
- Departed from: YYC Calgary Alta
- Destination: KLAX Los Angeles CA
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 12:50 pm from KLAX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 6 | |||
| Passengers | 136 |
The factual record for the Airbus Industrie A320 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Crew member
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Northwest Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: KLAX Los Angeles CA
- Destination: MEM Memphis TN
- Flight plan: IFR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 149 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.