TCAS Alert Prevents Collision Between United Regional Jets at Newark

Two United Express regional jets narrowly avoided a mid-air collision near Newark Liberty International Airport after a Traffic Collision Avoidance System alert triggered emergency maneuvers. The incident involved Republic Airways Flight 3544 and Flight 4459 during complex arrival and departure traffic.

According to analysis by retired airline captain and aviation commentator Captain Steeeve, the encounter occurred when one aircraft executed a go-around, placing it on a converging path with a departing regional jet. The aircraft reportedly passed within a few hundred feet of each other vertically before a Resolution Advisory commanded pilots to perform immediate vertical maneuvers to maintain separation.

Captain Steeeve characterized the event as a success of layered safety systems, noting that TCAS is designed to override air traffic control instructions during imminent collision threats. The pilots' adherence to the Resolution Advisory prevented a potential disaster, he said. Neither United Airlines nor the regional operators have issued public statements regarding the incident. The FAA and NTSB have not released formal reports on the loss-of-separation event.