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Runway Incursion at Austin

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llondel
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Runway Incursion at Austin

#1 Post by llondel » Sun Feb 05, 2023 3:39 am

Another one - FedEx cleared to land, then had to go around at 150ft because ATC directed a SouthWest flight onto the runway for takeoff. This one sounds like an ATC mistake.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/2-planes-a ... rport-faa/
A FedEx cargo airplane attempting to land at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Saturday morning had to reverse course after a second plane was cleared to depart from the same runway, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The Boeing 767 cargo airplane was several miles from the airport when it was cleared to land at about 6:40 a.m. local time, according to the FAA. But just before it was expected to land, an air traffic controller gave the go-ahead for an airplane operated by Southwest Airlines to take off.

"The pilot of the FedEx airplane discontinued the landing and initiated a climb out," the FAA said in a statement.

According to the flight tracking website FlightAware, the FedEx plane had descended to an altitude of about 150 feet at 6:40 a.m. before it was forced to ascend again. The plane landed at the airport about 11 minutes later, at 6:51 a.m., per FlightAware.

In a tweet Saturday, the National Transportation Safety Board described it as a "possible runway incursion and overflight involving airplanes from Southwest Airlines and FedEx."

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Re: Runway Incursion at Austin

#2 Post by reddo » Sun Feb 05, 2023 9:29 am

The US ATC love to do that. Clear you to land far out or "you're number 3, clear to land". err ok.

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Re: Runway Incursion at Austin

#3 Post by Ex-Ascot » Sun Feb 05, 2023 1:08 pm

reddo wrote:
Sun Feb 05, 2023 9:29 am
The US ATC love to do that. Clear you to land far out or "you're number 3, clear to land". err ok.
I agree Reddo. Bloody useless.
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Re: Runway Incursion at Austin

#4 Post by Boac » Sun Feb 05, 2023 1:27 pm

Clear you to land far out or "you're number 3, clear to land"
Generally works better if ATC don't then line up someone as you approach, of course..............

Do we know if SW were tardy on departure? Happened to me in CDG when Nigel and Rodney were slow to check their meal orders, adjust their dress and open the throttles when we were on finals. There was a cry of "Either ***** or get off the potty, Nigel".

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Re: Runway Incursion at Austin

#5 Post by Boac » Sun Feb 05, 2023 5:51 pm

I also understand from AvHerald's METARS that it was LVP at Austin. In my day it was never permitted to line up a departing in LVP with an aircraft on approach. Has that changed?

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Re: Runway Incursion at Austin

#6 Post by Boac » Mon Feb 06, 2023 10:06 am

From what I can gather, it is a big 'BZ' to the FedEx crew who appeared to be the only one of the 3 actors in that play who had a clue what was happening and prevented a nasty accident. Looking forward to the SW CVR transcript.

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Re: Runway Incursion at Austin

#7 Post by PHXPhlyer » Mon Feb 06, 2023 6:58 pm

Juan Browne's analysis:



PP

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Re: Runway Incursion at Austin

#8 Post by Mrs Ex-Ascot » Tue Feb 07, 2023 5:20 am

Most interesting video PP thanks for posting.

Looks like an ATC boo boo big time. His comments at the end of the video are very interesting and I hope not prescient....
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Re: Runway Incursion at Austin

#9 Post by Ex-Ascot » Tue Feb 07, 2023 7:52 am

That local controller sounded so cool even though he must have realised that he had screwed up. That is one less ATCO in the USofA.

JB says that there is no decision height on a CAT 3 approach. I am sure we had to see the runway at 15' to land. Had to do one a month to stay current. Only done a few for real. Amazing. For those not in the know it is very complex and much more difficult than plonking it on by hand.
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Re: Runway Incursion at Austin

#10 Post by Boac » Tue Feb 07, 2023 8:32 am

JB says that there is no decision height on a CAT 3 approach
It depends on which Cat of CatIII you are doing. IE a CATIII C approach has no decision height or RVR limitation.

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Re: Runway Incursion at Austin

#11 Post by TheGreenAnger » Tue Feb 07, 2023 5:21 pm

I don't think I have seen Juan as steamed up as in this case. As usual his commentary is bang on the numbers.
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Re: Runway Incursion at Austin

#12 Post by PHXPhlyer » Fri Mar 03, 2023 1:36 am

NTSB: FedEx plane was only 150 feet off ground when disaster was averted

https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/02/business ... index.html

A FedEx plane was only about 150 feet off the ground when its pilots realized a Southwest jet was in the process of taking off on the same runway, and aborted its landing to avoid a potentially catastrophic fatal accident last month, federal safety investigators reported Thursday.

The report was from the National Transportation Safety Board, which looks into crashes and near crashes in the transportation industry. As is typical of a preliminary report such as this, the report did not assess any fault for the near miss.

The incident occurred early on February 4 at the international airport in Austin, Texas. CNN has previously reported the two planes came within 100 feet of one another, based on data from FlightRadar24. The NTSB’s initial findings confirmed earlier reports that it was the FedEx pilot, not air traffic controllers, who detected the problem and told the Southwest plane to abort its takeoff.

NTSB chairwoman Jennifer Homendy previously told CNN she believes the two planes came within 100 feet or less. Thursday’s report said the NTSB is still analyzing data from the cockpit recorders and other information and has not determined their closest proximity.

“That is really close, far too close,” Homendy told CNN’s Pete Muntean in an interview ahead of Thursday’s report. “It’s a big concern for us.”

The report said the Southwest plane was racing down the runway, picking up speed to take off, when the FedEx pilot warning came. The Southwest plane did take off, and veered sharply to the right as it became airborne. The FedEx plane veered to the left as it aborted its landing to avoid a possible collision.

The NTSB said it is still analyzing flight data and other information and has not determined the closest proximity between the planes.

There were 128 passengers and crew aboard the Southwest flight, and three crew members aboard the FedEx flight.

This is one of five near misses involving US commercial passenger aircraft in the last few months. There were no reports of injuries in any of the incidents.

PP

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