Incident
On Wednesday, June 27, 2018, about 1251 central daylight time, a runway incursion occurred at Springfield-Branson National Airport (SGF), Springfield, Missouri. An airport operations vehicle (VAN7) crossed runway 14 while an Embraer 145, registration N655AE, operated by Envoy Air as flight ENY3660, was on takeoff roll. The flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 121 from SGF to Chicago O'Hare International Airport. No damage to the aircraft or vehicle was reported, and no injuries occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
Sequence of Events
At 12:44:07, the crew of ENY3660 contacted ground control (GC) and reported at the gate with information delta ready to taxi. The GC instructed the pilot to taxi to runway 20. The pilot asked if runway 14 was available; the GC advised it was and instructed taxi to runway 14 via taxiways foxtrot and whiskey. The pilot read back the instructions.
At 12:50:14, the driver of VAN7 contacted GC and requested to proceed to the firehouse. The GC responded, "VAN7 cross runway two zero at Charlie and proceed Uniform Echo." The driver read back.
At 12:50:37, the local controller (LC) transmitted, "Envoy 3660 fly runway heading, runway 14 cleared for takeoff." The pilot responded with a readback at 12:50:43.
At 12:51:06, the GC instructed the driver of VAN7 to proceed across runway 14; the driver read back. At 12:51:21, an unidentified pilot transmitted "truck, truck, truck" on the LC frequency, followed ten seconds later by "that was very close." At 12:51:40, on the SGF LC frequency, an unidentified pilot stated "tower." The LC responded, "ah Ozark Tech, correction Envoy 3660 contact departure ah…very sorry." The pilot of ENY3660 responded, "over to departure that was beyond ah…(unintelligible)." No further transmissions occurred between the LC and the pilot.
At 14:33:18, the chief pilot from Envoy Airlines contacted Springfield Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) on a recorded telephone line and spoke with the Operations Supervisor. The chief pilot reported that the pilot of ENY3660 said that when the aircraft was abeam taxiway U, the vehicle was off the runway surface but between the runway edge marking and the hold short lines on taxiway U, and that there was no overflight.
Air Traffic Control Personnel
The ground controller (GC) began with the FAA in October 1991, reported to SGF in September 1997, and was qualified on all operating positions, designated as controller in charge. He held a medical certificate with a corrective lens restriction, which he wore during the incident.
The local controller in training began with the FAA in November 2017, reported to SGF, and was qualified on clearance delivery and GC but training on LC. He held a current medical certificate with no restrictions.
The operations supervisor began with the FAA in August 2008, reported to SGF as a front-line manager in July 2015, and was qualified on all operating positions. He held a current medical certificate with no restrictions.
The local controller (LC) who cleared ENY3660 for takeoff began with the FAA in October 1997 and reported to SGF in December 1999, becoming facility certified and CIC qualified. He was current on all operating positions and held a medical certificate with no restrictions.
Vehicle Operator
The driver of VAN7 began with the City of Springfield Airport in December 2002, converting to full-time in January 2003. He was employed as a Lead Line Service Technician at the city-owned fixed base operator (FBO) Midwest Premier Aviation. He was a private pilot who had not exercised privileges for about 7 years and had received pilot training at SGF.
The front seat passenger began with the City of Springfield Airport in February 2018 as a full-time Line Service Technician at the FBO. He had previously worked as a collegiate intern at the airport.
NOTAM and Weather
NOTAM 06/083 was in effect from 1230 UTC to 2100 UTC, closing runway 14/32 to landing traffic.
Weather at SGF: ATIS indicated active runway 20, wind 240 at 15 knots gusting 22 knots, visibility 6 miles, few clouds at 6,000 feet. The 1152 METAR reported wind 230 at 14 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, clear skies, temperature 32°C, dew point 22°C, altimeter 29.90 inHg. The 1252 METAR reported wind 250 at 9 knots, 10 miles visibility, clear skies, temperature 33°C, dew point 23°C, altimeter 29.91 inHg.
Runway Incursion Device
The Runway Incursion Device (RID) is a memory aid for controllers with red push buttons for each runway, backlighting that flashes continuously when activated, and an aural "check runway" message when the controller's push-to-talk is pressed. At SGF, RIDs were installed at local and ground control positions, linked into headset jacks and interconnected. When one RID was activated, all RIDs in the tower cab flashed. Only the activated RID triggered the aural alert on PTT.
Airport and Video Data
SGF had no ground-based radar for surveillance of movement areas. A recording of voice communications with time stamps was obtained from the FAA, and airport operations video from the City of Springfield. The video from a camera on top of the control tower showed VAN7 departing a hangar complex near taxiway N, entering taxiway C, holding short of runway 20 for about 26 seconds, crossing runway 20, turning left onto taxiway U, then crossing runway 14. About 3 seconds after VAN7 crossed the southwest edge of runway 14 (still within the runway safety area), ENY3660 passed through the intersection of runway 14 and taxiway U. VAN7 continued down taxiway U, turned right onto taxiway E to the fire station. The distance from the threshold of runway 14 to the intersection of taxiway U is about 5,900 feet.