What happened
On September 20, 2016, an Embraer 170-200 was taxiing at LIMC following instructions from air traffic control. The crew was cleared to taxi to the holding point for runway 35L via taxiways Y, U, and F. During the taxi sequence, the controllers instructed the crew to establish contact with Tower control.
While attempting to establish two-way radio communication, the crew encountered intermittent transmission issues. Distracted by the effort to restore clear communication, the crew failed to stop at the designated holding point and proceeded to cross runway 35L. The crew believed the runway was occupied by construction activities, as indicated in a recent NOTAM. Following the completion of the flight, the crew filed an Air Safety Report (ASR).
The investigation
The investigation focused on the crew's actions during the taxi phase and the breakdown in situational awareness caused by communication difficulties. The investigation established that the crew's attention was diverted from taxi procedures to managing the radio failure.