Near-Miss Incident at Detroit Metro Airport Raises Safety Concerns

A terrifying moment unfolded at Detroit Metro Airport when an Air France plane arriving from Paris had to abort its landing to avoid another aircraft on the runway, according to the pilot.

Tammy Sambrano, a passenger on the flight into Detroit, recounted the harrowing experience. Just as the plane was about to touch down, it suddenly accelerated and climbed back into the sky.

“We had two minutes to land,” Sambrano said. “I looked out the window, saw the ground, and thought we had made it. Then, out of nowhere, the plane took off like a fighter jet into the clouds.”

Shortly after, the pilot addressed the passengers, explaining that another plane had been in the way, forcing them to perform a go-around maneuver.

For Sambrano, the close call was unsettling—especially in the wake of two recent deadly aviation disasters.

Just days earlier, an American Airlines jet carrying 64 people collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport. The crash led to a massive search-and-rescue operation in the Potomac River, resulting in numerous fatalities.

Later that same week, a medical transport plane crashed in Northeast Philadelphia, igniting multiple cars and causing explosions that rocked the neighborhood. The disaster left several dead and many more injured.

Following her experience, Sambrano expressed concerns about air traffic control staffing and safety protocols. While grateful for the pilot’s quick response, she worries about the safety of future flights.

“There needs to be more air traffic control employees,” she said. “I’m scared to fly in October, but hopefully by then, everything will be ironed out.”

With growing concerns over air traffic control shortages and increasing near-miss incidents, passengers and aviation experts alike are calling for urgent improvements to ensure the safety of air travel.

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