Georgia basketball coach on airplane scare: 'Pilot was terrific'

ATLANTA — University of Georgia men’s basketball coach Mark Fox was a passenger on a flight Wednesday morning that was forced to abort take-off and come to a “high-speed slowdown” on the runway at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

Fox tweeted that he appreciated the concern and that he was OK.

The FAA released the following statement:

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating an event at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport at about 10:30 am today.   Delta Air Lines flight 873 was cleared for departure on Runway 27 Right as Delta Air Lines flight 749 crossed the runway on Taxiway T.  The air traffic controller handling the flights immediately instructed Delta 873 to abort its takeoff. The aircraft were separated by 1 1/4 miles when Delta 749 crossed the runway.  Delta 873 was a McDonnell-Douglas MD-90 aircraft. Delta 749 was an MD-88 aircraft that had just landed on Runway 27 Left.

Delta spokesperson Morgan Durrant released the following statement:

The flight crew of Delta flight 873 did respond to air traffic controller instruction to stop its take off procedure which resulted in a high-speed slowdown. The aircraft safely returned to the gate for a maintenance check and refuel. All systems including the brakes checked out and the flight departed again for Miami at 11:59 a.m.

Safety is always our top priority – these types of procedures are part of flight crews' extensive training.

Cox Media Group