FAA restricts parallel runway operations at Centennial Airport after safety audit

The Federal Aviation Administration has restricted operations at Centennial Airport near Denver after an agency safety assessment revealed multiple dangerous incidents on parallel runways. Aviation Pros reported that an FAA spokesperson confirmed the agency ordered an immediate halt to simultaneous departures from parallel runways. AVweb and Avi-Go also reported that the federal agency plans to review these flight restrictions. [1][8][9]

According to Aviation Pros, federal investigators reviewed more than 35,500 parallel departures at Centennial Airport between May 2025 and April 2026. The investigation was prompted by two midair near-collisions and dozens of safety issues on parallel runways over a two-year period. A mid-air collision is an aviation accident where two or more aircraft come into unplanned contact during flight. [1][12]

The safety report released by Centennial Airport verified that two of the reviewed departures were hazardous near-collisions, as reported by Aviation Pros. Investigators also classified nine incidents as high-risk major events and recorded 49 medium-risk and low-risk incidents during the one-year review period. Avi-Go reported that the upcoming regulatory review will specifically evaluate restrictions on parallel departures as well as touch-and-go operations. [1][9]