AUSTIN, Texas — After a man was hit and killed by a Southwest Airlines flight on the runway at Austin’s airport on Thursday night, the security of the airport perimeter is under scrutiny.
On Friday, airport officials confirmed the man who was struck by the landing flight did not have a badge, meaning he was unauthorized to be on the secure side of the airport – and much less near an active runway.
On Monday, Austin police identified the victim as 22-year-old Junin Ko.
“It's a little bit embarrassing, maybe a major embarrassment for the airport itself. It's a great concern for the security people in the airport,” said John Goglia, a former National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) member who has nearly 60 years of experience in the aviation industry.
"AUS security is a collaborative effort between the Department of Aviation, Austin Police Department, Transportation Security Administration and all employees who work at AUS," an airport spokesperson told KVUE. "AUS has been and will continue to be in compliance with our TSA-approved Airport Security Program."
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Southwest Airlines flight 1392 landed in Austin from Dallas at 8:12 p.m. on Thursday. The pilot reported seeing a person on the runway to air traffic control while landing at the airport.
An airport operations employee found the victim minutes later, before medics responded and the man was pronounced dead. The man’s identity has not yet been released.
The plane landed right around sunset in a southbound direction.
“It's the most busy time of the landing,” Goglia said, “and if it's anywhere near nighttime, the visibility on the runway is grossly reduced.”
It was the first time something like this has happened at Austin’s airport in its 21 years. The FAA said it’s so rare that it’s not something the agency tracks.
“Something happened here that allowed this guy to get in, whether it was a lapse from the people who designed the system or a lapse with the equipment. But in any event, this individual got into an area that he should not have been,” Goglia said.
The Boeing 737 was carrying 53 passengers and five crew members. Nobody on board the flight was hurt.
Officials said the left engine covering was damaged during the incident. On Friday, FAA investigators and maintenance crews were seen working on the plane on the airport tarmac.
Southwest Airlines said in a statement, in part, that the “aircraft maneuvered to avoid” someone on the runway.
But in those final seconds of landing, Goglia said a maneuver likely couldn’t have made much of a difference.
“When he's that close to touchdown, he's committed. He's touching down. So, it doesn't matter what mysteriously shows up in front of him. It's too late,” Goglia said.
The NTSB was notified of the incident but delegated investigative authority to the Austin Police Department, which is leading the investigation with help from the FAA and the Austin airport.
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