An investigation is underway after a private jet carrying a college basketball team was ordered to stop at Los Angeles International Airport as it approached the runway from which another plane was taking off.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, around 4:30 p.m. Friday, air traffic controllers told a charter flight that had just arrived from Spokane, Washington, not to cross the runway where the second plane was departing.
The Embraer E135, operated by Colorado-based Key Lime Air, “was attempting to cross the hold bar when air traffic controllers directed the pilot to stop,” the FAA said in a statement.
In a livestream video feed of the incident, air traffic controllers can be heard saying, “Stop, stop, stop.”
Plane observer Kevin Ray, who created the YouTube channel where the video was posted, can be heard exclaiming in amazement.
“Wow! In all the years I’ve been doing this job, I’ve never once heard a controller tell a plane to ‘stop, stop, stop,'” he said in the video.
The FAA said in a statement that the plane “never crossed the edge of the runway.”
Federal authorities announced they would investigate the incident.
Key Lime Flight 563 was transporting the Gonzaga University men’s basketball team, which will play against UCLA the next day.
Gonzaga University said in a statement: “We look forward to learning more information regarding this incident and are grateful that the incident ended safely for everyone.”
The Delta flight that departed was bound for Atlanta and did not appear to be affected.
Delta Air Lines Flight 471 “operated normally,” said Erika Hatras, a spokeswoman for the airline.
Key Lime Air did not respond to requests for comment.
LAX is in the middle of a busy holiday season. From December 19th to January 2nd, the airport is expected to serve more than 3.2 million passengers.
