What happened
On August 11, 2015, a runway incursion occurred at Warsaw Chopin Airport (EPWR) involving a CRJ-900 regional jet. After the aircraft had landed and was taxiing toward its parking stand, a convoy of vehicles belonging to a construction crew entered the active runway.
While the decision to begin renovation work earlier than the timeframe specified in the original NOTAM had been coordinated with air traffic control, and an additional NOTAM had been issued regarding the runway closure, the specific movement of the vehicles onto the runway was not properly cleared. The vehicles entered the runway area without receiving a final confirmation or authorization via radio communication from the Tower controller.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the coordination between the construction crew and the air traffic control authority. The PKBWL established that although the timing of the works had been adjusted through official NOTAM updates and prior coordination, the critical step of obtaining explicit radio clearance for the vehicle convoy to enter the runway was missed. The investigation confirmed that no collision avoidance maneuvers were necessary as the incursion did not result in a physical conflict with the aircraft.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the unauthorized occupation of the runway by construction vehicles without obtaining the necessary secondary authorization via radio contact with air traffic control.
Safety action
Following the incident, it was established in coordination with the air traffic control authority that, in similar future scenarios, the construction crew will only occupy the runway after the aircraft has completed its taxi to the parking stand.