What happened
On July 10, 2015, a Beechcraft King Air 90 GTi was taxiing for takeoff at Kraków-Balice Airport (EPKK). During the taxi sequence, the crew was instructed to proceed via taxiway B and stop before taxiway A. This instruction was issued to allow a Boeing 737, which was vacating the runway, to clear the area.
Despite the specific instruction to hold, the crew of the Beechcraft King Air 90 GTi proceeded onto taxiway A, effectively blocking the path of the arriving Boeing 737. Following the incursion, air traffic control at the Kraków Tower (TWR EPKK) instructed the crew to turn back to the B6 holding point to allow the 737 to pass.
The investigation
The PKBWL investigation focused on the movement of the aircraft on the taxiway system and the crew's adherence to air traffic control instructions. The investigation established that the aircraft entered a taxiway intersection that was not cleared for its movement at that time.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was crew error, specifically the failure to comply with the instructions provided by Kraków Tower.
- The incident was classified as an H3 category occurrence.