A passenger aircraft operated by Delta Airlines takes off at Louis Armstrong International Airport. Photographer: Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images
NEW ORLEANS - A Delta flight abruptly aborted a takeoff after a Learjet made the wrong turn on a runway at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport on March 31.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the air traffic controller told the Delta flight to halt out of an abundance of caution.
"An air traffic controller cancelled the takeoff clearance for Delta Air Lines Flight 1482 after a Learjet landed at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and made a wrong turn onto a taxiway," the FAA said in a statement to FOX Television Stations. "The Learjet never crossed the hold short line. The controller cancelled the takeoff clearance for the Delta Airbus A321 out of an abundance of caution."
RELATED: Passenger detained at LAX after opening emergency exit door of plane
Dallas Richins was a passenger onboard the Delta flight and was heading to Salt Lake City.
"It was the first time I’ve really been scared on an airplane -- and I’ve landed in Tucson with a fire truck spraying foam -- and it didn’t bother me as bad as last night," Richins told Fox 8.
This browser does not support the Video element.
Turbulence Terror: Hawaiian Airlines passengers describe experience on flight from Phoenix
A flight from Phoenix, Arizona to Hawaii was rocked by severe turbulence sending passengers and luggage flying. 36 people were injured, 11 of those people were taken to multiple emergency rooms in serious condition and 9 others were transported in stable condition. "We are continuing to support our guests and employees who sustained injuries today after Flight HA35 from PHX to HNL encountered severe turbulence," the airlines said in a statement on Twitter Sunday night. "We are also conducting a thorough inspection of the aircraft before returning it to service."
Richins also told the outlet passengers remained on the plane for 45 minutes afterwards to let the brakes cool down.
FOX Television Stations reached out to Delta for a comment.
The incident is the latest string of runway incidents and other close calls the FAA is investigating. The administration addressed those past incidents at a safety summit last month.
RELATED: Pilot from another airline helps Southwest plane land safely after captain needs 'medical attention'
Among the other recent incidents now being investigated:
— Last week pilots of a small airliner aborted their landing in Burbank, California, after a controller cleared another plane to take off from the same runway; the NTSB is investigating.
— A United Airlines jet crossed a runway at Honolulu International Airport in front of a Cessna cargo plane that was landing on the same runway on Jan. 23.
— The NTSB took the rare step of issuing subpoenas for pilots of an American Airlines plane that crossed a runway that a Delta Air Lines jet was using to take off Jan. 13 at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. The American pilots initially refused to sit for recorded interviews, but they complied after getting subpoenas, Homendy said.
— Federal officials are taking another look at an incident in which a United Airlines jet taking off from Hawaii dove to within 800 feet of the ocean before recovering. United says pilots of the December flight are getting additional training.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. This story was reported from Los Angeles.