The air traffic control tower at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport was evacuated on the evening of Friday, April 17, 2026, due to a tornado warning issued for the area.
X user @thenewarea51 shared audio of a pilot speaking to an air traffic controller about a tornado that had been spotted in the area. The pilot initiates contact, saying, “Hey Ground, 5542,” with “5542” being his callsign, and the air traffic controller answering.
The two go back and forth to assess the situation and make a decision within a matter of seconds because time was of the essence…