What happened
On November 18, 2014, a Bombardier DHC-8-400 operated by Eurolot SA was preparing for departure from Warsaw Chopin Airport (EPWA). After starting the engines, the crew began taxiing from stand 39 toward runway 15, following taxiway A and taxiway O.
As the aircraft approached the runway threshold, the air traffic controller notified the crew that the aircraft's anti-collision lights were not illuminated. Upon receiving this notification, the crew activated the lights and continued with the departure.
The investigation
The PKBWL investigation focused on the crew's adherence to standard operating procedures during the taxi phase. The investigation established that the crew had omitted a specific step in the pre-takeoff checklist.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the crew's omission of the "START APPROVED" checklist item regarding the activation of the red anti-collision lights.
- A contributing factor to the checklist error was that the captain was performing his first flights in the left-hand seat.