Southwest flights successfully avoid collision at BNA

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Over the weekend, air traffic controllers at Nashville International Airport stepped in and prevented a runway collision. A Southwest Airlines spokesperson said in a Monday statement to News 2 that on Saturday when there were gusty winds at the airport, pilots of one Southwest flight "executed a precautionary go-around" and had to avoid a plane departing another runway for Knoxville. The spokesperson added that following the go-around, the plane landed uneventfully while the flight bound for Knoxville continued. The airline is working with the Federal Aviation Administration to continue the investigation. A statement from the FAA clarified the incident happened around 5:30 p.m. Saturday and crews aboard both aircrafts responded to onboard alerts. The FAA added that the flight that initiated the go-around "received instructions from air traffic control that put the flight in the path of another airplane." "Southwest appreciates the professionalism of its Pilots and Flight Crews in responding to the event," the statement reads, in part. "Nothing is more important to Southwest than the Safety of our Customers and Employees." *Southwest Airlines previously reported to News 2 the incident happened on Sunday. The date has since been corrected to Saturday.