What happened
On the morning of March 16, 2007, at approximately 0520 UTC, Alaska Airlines flight 677 was preparing for departure from McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada. The aircraft was positioned on runway 25R, ready to commence its takeoff roll.
During the initial phase of the takeoff attempt, air traffic control issued an instruction canceling the takeoff clearance. This directive was necessitated by a developing conflict with Allegiant Airlines flight 588, which was in the process of landing on runway 19L. The intersecting paths required immediate action to ensure separation between the departing and arriving aircraft.
In compliance with the cancellation instruction, the crew of Alaska Airlines flight 677 executed a rejected takeoff. The aircraft safely returned to the gate without incident during the abort maneuver. Following the return to the terminal area, maintenance personnel identified that one of the tires on Alaska Airlines flight 677 had deflated. Despite this mechanical issue, there were no reported injuries to any passengers or crew members aboard either Alaska Airlines flight 677 or Allegiant Airlines flight 588.
The investigation
Post-incident inspections confirmed that the primary physical consequence of the rejected takeoff was a deflated tire on the departing aircraft. No other significant damage was reported to Alaska Airlines flight 677, and Allegiant Airlines flight 588 sustained no damage from the near-miss event.
Findings
The sequence of events was driven by standard air traffic control protocols designed to prevent runway incursions or collisions. The conflict arose between a departing aircraft on one runway and an arriving aircraft on another crossing runway. The timely cancellation of takeoff clearance by controllers allowed for a safe resolution of the traffic conflict, preventing any potential collision despite the close proximity of operations.