'Stop, stop, stop': Investigation after jet carrying college team taxis toward departing flight at LAX

(KTLA) – An probe is underway aft a backstage pitchy was ordered to halt taxiing toward a departing Delta formation connected an progressive runway astatine Los Angeles International Airport connected Friday afternoon.

Video footage shared by Airline Videos Live shows the pitchy creeping toward the runway arsenic the Delta craft takes off. An aerial postulation controller tin beryllium heard calling for the pitchy to "stop, stop, stop" arsenic the Delta formation takes off.

The Embraer E135 pitchy that was ordered to halt taxiing had conscionable arrived from Spokane, Washington, and carried the Gonzaga men’s assemblage hoops team, arsenic earlier reported by the Los Angeles Times. The formation was operated by Colorado-based Key Lime Air.

Both planes appeared to run usually aft the tense moment, the footage shows.

This inactive representation taken from video and provided by Airline Videos Live shows the Gonzaga University men's hoops squad plane, backmost left, taxiing and being told to halt connected the runway astatine Los Angeles International Airport connected Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, successful Los Angeles. (Airline Videos Live via AP)

The FAA, successful a statement, said the pitchy ne'er really crossed onto the progressive runway.

"Air postulation controllers directed Key Lime Air Flight 563 to clasp abbreviated of crossing a runway astatine Los Angeles International Airport due to the fact that a 2nd craft was taking disconnected from the runway astatine the time,” reads a connection shared by the FAA. “When the Embraer E135 pitchy proceeded to transverse the clasp bars, aerial postulation controllers told the pilots to stop. The pitchy ne'er crossed the runway borderline line.”

A spokesperson for Gonzaga University said the men's squad was not affected by the incident.

“We recognize that the incidental astatine LAX is nether probe and we volition reappraisal this accusation arsenic it becomes available," the assemblage said successful an email Monday afternoon. "Our squad members aboard the craft were unaware of the concern arsenic it occurred and we are grateful that the incidental ended safely for all.”

Gonzaga went connected to play UCLA the pursuing day, according to ESPN, losing to the Bruins 65-62.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.