Close Call...Runway Incursion Today Between United and Delta

TurdBird

TurdBird

Well-Known Member
FAA investigating near-collision on Fort Lauderdale airport runway

By Joel Marino | Sun-Sentinel.com 3:36 PM EDT, July 12, 2007 FORT LAUDERDALE -- It may take several weeks before authorities can determine why two planes nearly collided at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, a Federal Aviation Administration official said Thursday.

Investigators want to know how United Flight 1544 missed its turn and entered the runway where Delta Flight 1489 was about to land Wednesday afternoon, said FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen.

The controllers alerted the Delta crew to pull up and circle the airport - a procedure called a go-around - to avoid the United flight.

"The controllers do an outstanding job, but they were particularly outstanding yesterday," Bergen said.

The United flight safely reached its destination at Dulles International Airport in Washington with 133 passengers on board, said Megan McCarthy, spokeswoman for Chicago-based UAL Corp.'s United Airlines. She declined further comment.

The Delta flight was inbound from Atlanta with 167 passengers on board, said Betsy Talton, a spokeswoman for Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines Inc. She declined further comment.

When a plane is on a runway without authorization, the FAA labels the incident as a ``runway incursion.''

The Fort Lauderdale airport has had three runway incursions between June 1, 2006, and May 31, according to FAA records. Two were blamed on pilot error and the third was ruled an air traffic control error. None resulted in collisions.

Go-arounds are common occurrences, Bergen said. They are made when planes cannot land because a previous arrival has not cleared the runway. However, she said that Wednesday's incident was a rare scenario.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
More articles
Copyright © 2007, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Click to expand...

They said they were within 100ft of eachother. :panic:
 
Re: Close Call...Runway Incursion Today Between United and D

"The controllers alerted the Delta crew to pull up and circle the airport - a procedure called a go-around - to avoid the United flight."

That made me chuckle for some reason....not that this couldn't be a serious accident...glad it wasn't, but I love how the press sensationalizes everything.

"In a remarkable scene today at the airport....a plane rotated...rotation refers to the nose pitching up to achieve flight...back to you in the studio Bob."
 
Re: Close Call...Runway Incursion Today Between United and D

Ouch.

Hope the United guys up front have a job tomorrow.
 
Re: Close Call...Runway Incursion Today Between United and D

ILSstud said:
"The controllers alerted the Delta crew to pull up and circle the airport - a procedure called a go-around - to avoid the United flight."

That made me chuckle for some reason....not that this couldn't be a serious accident...glad it wasn't, but I love how the press sensationalizes everything.

"In a remarkable scene today at the airport....a plane rotated...rotation refers to the nose pitching up to achieve flight...back to you in the studio Bob."
Click to expand...


Nice... :laff:
 
Re: Close Call...Runway Incursion Today-NTSB Report

NTSB Identification: OPS07IA006A
Scheduled 14 CFR Part 121: Air Carrier operation of DELTA AIRLINES INC DFW BASE MAINTENANCE
Incident occurred Wednesday, July 11, 2007 in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Aircraft: Boeing 757-232, registration: N6714Q
Injuries: 172 Uninjured.​

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On July 11, 2007, at 1437 Eastern daylight time a runway incursion occurred at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport, (FLL), Fort Lauderdale, Florida between United (UAL) flight 1544, an A-320 and Delta Airlines (DAL) flight 1489, a Boeing 757. The incident occurred in day visual flight rules conditions, visibility 10 miles, scattered clouds at 4,800 feet.

The FLL ground controller (GC) instructed UAL1544 to taxi to runway 9L via taxiways T7, D, and B. As the flight was taxiing on taxiway D near runway 9L, the tower local controller (LC) noticed the airplane was going too fast to hold short of the runway. LC told the GC to tell UAL to stop. The GC said "UAL 1544 stop, stop, stop". The crew stopped on runway 9L, 30 feet from the centerline.

DAL1489 was inbound for landing on runway 9L when LC determined that UAL1544 was not going to hold short of the runway. LC instructed DAL1489 to go around. When the crew received the instruction, the main landing gear was on the ground. According to the crew statement, they noted the urgency in the controller's voice so they knew they had to get the aircraft airborne. FAA reported DAL1489 flew over UAL1544 by less than 100 feet.

According to the FAA, the UAL crew stated they missed the turn onto taxiway B.

FLL air traffic control tower is not equipped with either AMASS or ASDE-X. All airport lighting was functioning normally.
Click to expand...
 
Re: Close Call...Runway Incursion Today-NTSB Report

Oh jeez! Definately freaky.

I'd definately have to change my pants if that happened to me..
 
Re: Close Call...Runway Incursion Today Between United and D

ILSstud said:
I love how the press sensationalizes everything.

"In a remarkable scene today at the airport....a plane rotated...rotation refers to the nose pitching up to achieve flight...back to you in the studio Bob."
Click to expand...

LC instructed DAL1489 to go around. When the crew received the instruction, the main landing gear was on the ground. According to the crew statement, they noted the urgency in the controller's voice so they knew they had to get the aircraft airborne. FAA reported DAL1489 flew over UAL1544 by less than 100 feet.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm not so that they're "sensationalizing everything". If I had to do a go-around after the wheels were down and missed another plane by 100ft, I'd need a surgical procedure to remove the seat from my butt.

Sounds like this was no bueno at all.
 
Re: Close Call...Runway Incursion Today Between United and D

When the crew received the instruction, the main landing gear was on the ground.
Click to expand...

I don't understand how this could have happened. Right before and during the flare, wouldn't the crew be looking down the length of the runway? And wouldn't they see the Delta flight taxiing across the runway?

I don't understand why they hadn't begun a go-around already.

Thoughts?
 
Re: Close Call...Runway Incursion Today Between United and D

jrh said:
I don't understand how this could have happened. Right before and during the flare, wouldn't the crew be looking down the length of the runway? And wouldn't they see the Delta flight taxiing across the runway?

I don't understand why they hadn't begun a go-around already.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

It was the UA flight that blew their taxi instructions. This may be over simplifying it, but I would guess the Delta was cleared to land and did not have any idea of the UA taxi instructions. I would guess they may have seen the UA plane taxing and assumed they were going to hold short. ???

Doug, DE, anyone else.....How far down the RW can you see during the landing and flare ?

Looking at the taxiway diagram, they blew right through taxiway B without turning. Where TW D crosses 9L it is in the 1st 3rd of the RW. The intersection of D/B is VERY close to the RW so the RW may have been clear that one split second and then bam....here comes a plane. If they already had the mains down, it had to be pretty scary as the threshold for 9L is not that far from the TW D 9L crossing.

Just looking at the TW diagram. Yikes that had to be friggin close......I am sure the buns were puckered to the seats.... :eek:
 
Re: Close Call...Runway Incursion Today Between United and D

ILSstud said:
"The controllers alerted the Delta crew to pull up and circle the airport - a procedure called a go-around - to avoid the United flight."

That made me chuckle for some reason....not that this couldn't be a serious accident...glad it wasn't, but I love how the press sensationalizes everything.

"In a remarkable scene today at the airport....a plane rotated...rotation refers to the nose pitching up to achieve flight...back to you in the studio Bob."
Click to expand...

Sensationalizing:confused: You should be happy they are informing the public with correct information. Besides, when has vaguely describing a maneuver ever been "sensationalizing"?
 
Re: Close Call...Runway Incursion Today Between United and D

zmiller4 said:
Yeah, I'm not so that they're "sensationalizing everything". If I had to do a go-around after the wheels were down and missed another plane by 100ft, I'd need a surgical procedure to remove the seat from my butt.
Click to expand...

Tower directed go-around, no big deal. And if its 100' vertically as you're climbing, then its no big deal either.

And for Max: All the UA guys have to do if file an ASAP and call their ALPA Safety guys and the most they'll get is a hand slap from the Chief Pilot. Now a non-Union guy had better dig out the thickest kneepads he's got if he wants to keep his job.
 
Re: Close Call...Runway Incursion Today Between United and D

On topic but off, this is why I don't like to accept LAHSO operations. It's not only the lowly F/O that doesn't always hit the blocks. I've had a couple captains come in way too hot and float down a quarter of the runway.
 
Re: Close Call...Runway Incursion Today Between United and D

Well, they DO have to investigate.

No incident ever happens in a vacuum as there are always a chain of events that happened prior.
 
Re: Close Call...Runway Incursion Today Between United and D

Sterile Cockpit Procedures and Enhanced Crew Awareness Procedures.

Shut up while you're taxiing, pay attention to where you are, have an airport diagram in front of you and repeat all hold short instructions not only to ATC, but also each other. This is a huge deal here at Colgan. Every Captain I fly with stresses using the above.

These folks got L U C K Y.
 
Re: Close Call...Runway Incursion Today Between United and D

JEP said:
Looking at the taxiway diagram, they blew right through taxiway B without turning. Where TW D crosses 9L it is in the 1st 3rd of the RW. The intersection of D/B is VERY close to the RW so the RW may have been clear that one split second and then bam....here comes a plane. If they already had the mains down, it had to be pretty scary as the threshold for 9L is not that far from the TW D 9L crossing.

Just looking at the TW diagram. Yikes that had to be friggin close......I am sure the buns were puckered to the seats.... :eek:
Click to expand...


I concur!


Kevin
 
Re: Close Call...Runway Incursion Today Between United and D

could you imagine the looks of the pax faces as they're looking out the window seeing another plane "comin' right for em"?! heart rate elevated?! i'd certainly say so!
 
Re: Close Call...Runway Incursion Today Between United and D

Velocipede said:
Tower directed go-around, no big deal. And if its 100' vertically as you're climbing, then its no big deal either.

And for Max: All the UA guys have to do if file an ASAP and call their ALPA Safety guys and the most they'll get is a hand slap from the Chief Pilot. Now a non-Union guy had better dig out the thickest kneepads he's got if he wants to keep his job.
Click to expand...

ASAP can be more than a slap on the wrist. If you earn yourself an invite to the ERC you can end up with some sim time to requal, just depends on how hard up the FAA guy at the meeting is.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top