A Southwest Airlines plane nearly took off from a taxiway before an air traffic controller stopped the potentially dangerous departure.
The incident involved flight #WN3278 Thursday, March 20 2025 at Orlando International Airport when the plane attempted to depart to to Albany International Airport in New York at 9:30 a.m.
The Boeing 737-800 (registration N8315C) lined up on the taxiway H, parallel of runway 17R and began its takeoff roll., even reached 70 knots speed according to data.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the incident. Fortunately, no other aircraft were on the taxiway at that moment.
“An air traffic controller at Orlando International Airport canceled the takeoff clearance for Southwest Airlines Flight 3278 … after the aircraft began its takeoff roll on a taxiway,” according to the FAA statement.
All the Albany-bound travelers were put on another flight, with a new crew, the airline said. A replacement Boeing 737-8 MAX registration N8802Q reached Albany with a delay of about 3:20 hours according to The Aviation Herald.
