An air traffic controller had to tell the jet to stop after realizing that the United plane was taxiing on the same runway The planes were reportedly just over a quarter mile apart when the pilot on the Republic jet hit the brakes An investigation has been opened after a Republic Airlines jet had to hit the brakes to avoid a collision with a United Airlines plane at LaGuardia Airport in New York City.

A passenger jet at New York’s LaGuardia airport narrowly avoided disaster earlier this month when it was forced to slam on the brakes during takeoff to avoid smashing into another plane that was still on the runway.