What happened
On December 17, 2014, at Warsaw Chopin Airport (EPWA), a serious runway incursion occurred involving two aircraft. The first aircraft, a BAE Systems AVRO RJ-100 with registration OODWG (operating as Brussels Airlines flight BEL60W), was cleared to line up on Runway 29 and wait. Shortly thereafter, the crew received takeoff clearance.
Simultaneously, a Boeing 757-200 with registration DALED (operated by European Air Transport) had landed on Runway 33 and was taxiing toward the "CARGO" apron via Taxiway Alpha. At approximately 05:41 UTC, the tower controller cleared the Boeing 757-200 to cross Runway 29. During this maneuver, the stopbar on Taxiway A was switched off.
As the BAE Systems AVRO RJ-100 accelerated for takeoff, the controller realized the conflict and issued an urgent command to hold position. The takeoff was aborted while the aircraft had reached a speed of approximately 80 knots. At that moment, the Boeing 757-200 was approximately 250 meters ahead of the departing aircraft, crossing the runway. The collision threat passed as the Boeing 757-200 completed its crossing just as the BAE Systems AVRO RJ-100 came to a halt. There were no injuries and no damage to either aircraft.
The investigation
The PKBWL investigation examined radar data, radio communications, and the actions of the tower and ground controllers. The investigation established that the tower controller had previously cleared the Boeing 757-200 to cross the active runway but failed to account for this clearance when issuing the takeoff authorization to the BAE Systems AVRO RJ-100. The investigation also noted that the stopbar on Taxiway A had been deactivated by the controller prior to the incident. The investigation concluded that the takeoff abort was likely prompted by the ground controller alerting the tower to the crossing aircraft, though the departing crew may have also initiated the abort upon seeing the large aircraft ahead.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was errors in Air Traffic Management (ATM) operations.
- The tower controller failed to ensure the runway was clear of obstructions before authorizing takeoff.
- The controller failed to maintain situational awareness regarding the previously issued runway crossing clearance.
- The stopbar at the intersection of Taxiway A and Runway 29 was deactivated by the controller during the period leading up to the incursion.