Alaska Flight 528 Aborts Landing at SFO
The pilot of Alaska Airlines Flight 528 went around after reporting another aircraft on the runway at San Francisco International Airport.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Air Travel
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Alaska Airlines Flight 528 was cleared to land at San Francisco International Airport on Tuesday but executed a go-around after the pilot reported an aircraft on the runway. Passengers experienced an abrupt upward maneuver, and the pilot told them over the cabin audio that a plane taxiing across the end of the runway was questionable in proximity to the arrival runway.
Why it matters
Go-arounds are a routine safety tool, but this incident involves a potential runway conflict at one of the busiest airports in the region, drawing attention to surface-movement safety. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are expected to investigate how the situation developed.
Flightradar24 data shows two airplanes landed on the same runway ahead of the Alaska flight, while FAA figures put go-arounds at 1 to 3 per 1,000 flights at a field handling more than 1,000 flights daily. Investigators have not yet determined the exact level of risk involved.
The players
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines is a major U.S. carrier based in Seattle that operates Flight 528 and has built its reputation on West Coast and transcontinental service.
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the U.S. agency that regulates civil aviation and oversees air traffic control and aircraft safety.
National Transportation Safety Board
The National Transportation Safety Board is the independent U.S. federal agency that investigates transportation accidents and incidents and issues safety recommendations.
San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport is one of the busiest airports on the U.S. West Coast, serving the Bay Area's largest commercial air traffic.
The details
The pilot initiated the go-around after spotting an aircraft on the runway and pulled up to avoid a potential conflict during the descent. A spokesperson for SFO declined to comment, and representatives from Alaska Airlines and the FAA did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Timeline
Tuesday: Alaska Airlines Flight 528 was cleared to land at San Francisco International Airport and executed a go-around.
Seasonal Patterns
The 2017 Air Canada near-collision at San Francisco International Airport, where an Airbus A320 came within 60 feet of ground traffic, established a precedent for runway-surface conflicts at the field. This aborted landing puts the airport's surface-movement safety back under the same scrutiny.
Travelers flying into San Francisco should expect that go-arounds, while rare, are a normal safety procedure and can add time to arrival. Checking flight status and allowing buffer time for connections is a practical precaution for SFO trips.
The takeaway
A go-around is a standard safety maneuver, not necessarily a sign of danger, but the investigation will show how close this situation came to a conflict. Travelers can monitor official FAA and NTSB updates for findings.
Further reading
For context on how go-arounds and runway safety are handled, see more Air Travel coverage from across the region.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NBC Bay Area.
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