Close Call on the Tarmac: Southwest's Takeoff Mishap

A Southwest Airlines flight at Orlando airport aborted takeoff after mistakenly beginning its roll on a taxiway instead of the runway. An air traffic controller halted the takeoff. The crew misidentified the taxiway as the runway, but the plane stopped safely without injuries reported.

A near miss occurred at Orlando airport when a Southwest Airlines flight mistakenly initiated takeoff on a taxiway. The Federal Aviation Administration reported that Southwest Flight 3278 began its takeoff roll on a taxiway rather than the designated runway.

The mishap was promptly addressed by an air traffic controller who canceled the takeoff clearance at around 9:30 a.m. The incident involved a taxiway running parallel to the runway.

Southwest confirmed that the aircraft safely stopped on the taxiway after the crew's error in surface identification. No injuries were reported in the incident.

(With inputs from agencies.)