Runway Incursion Forces Southwest Takeoff Abort in San Antonio

Incident Overview

On Jan. 27, 2026, a runway incursion at San Antonio International Airport forced a Southwest Airlines flight to abort takeoff. The incident occurred around 1:40 p.m. local time on runway 22 when a Pilatus PC-12 mistakenly entered the active runway as Southwest Flight 4996 was cleared for takeoff to Dallas Love Field.

Controller Response

Air traffic controllers immediately canceled the Boeing 737-800's takeoff roll and instructed the PC-12 to exit the runway. The Southwest aircraft stopped approximately 5,000 feet down the runway. The quick "cancel takeoff" order from ATC prevented a potential collision between the commercial airliner and the turboprop aircraft.

Aftermath

The FAA is investigating the incident involving the PC-12 pilot's runway entry. Southwest Flight 4996 later departed for Dallas Love Field without further incident. No injuries were reported, and the flight arrived at its destination on schedule.