Incident Overview
On October 19, 2024, at 1450 Pacific Daylight Time, a runway incursion occurred at Long Beach Airport (Daugherty Field) in Long Beach, California. The incident involved a Diamond DA40, registration N895AM, and a Boeing 737-7H4, registration N250WN, operating as Southwest Airlines Flight 1671. No injuries were reported, and neither aircraft sustained damage.
Flight Information
The Diamond DA40 was operating under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. It had departed Camarillo Airport with Long Beach Airport as its destination. The Boeing 737 was operating under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a passenger flight. It had departed San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport and was also destined for Long Beach.
Sequence of Events
According to Federal Aviation Administration air traffic control audio recordings, at 1442:36 the pilot of the Diamond DA40 established communication with the local control one (LC1) controller, reporting inbound on the RNAV Runway 30 Zulu approach. The LC1 controller cleared the aircraft to land on runway 30 and instructed the pilot to hold short of runway 26 right for traffic. The pilot requested to circle to land on runway 26 right, which the controller verbally acknowledged.
At 1444:38, the LC1 controller denied the circling request and again cleared the Diamond DA40 to land on runway 30, instructing it to hold short of runway 26 right for traffic. The pilot acknowledged with an accurate readback.
At 1446:46, the crew of Southwest Airlines Flight 1671 established communication with the LC1 controller, reporting inbound for landing on runway 30. At 1447:20, the controller cleared the Boeing 737 to land on runway 30 and provided a traffic advisory regarding an uninvolved aircraft in the pattern. The crew acknowledged with an accurate readback.
At 1448:27, the LC1 controller provided a traffic advisory to the Boeing 737 crew regarding a Cessna landing on runway 26 left.
At 1449:50, the pilot of the Diamond DA40 advised the LC1 controller that they were holding short of runway 26 right on runway 30.
At 1450:05, as the Boeing 737 was completing its landing rollout on runway 30, the crew advised the LC1 controller that there was an aircraft on runway 30.
After the runway incursion, both aircraft taxied to their designated parking areas without further incident.
Investigation
Upon notification, the National Transportation Safety Board formed an air traffic control working group. Parties to the investigation include the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. Certified Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast data and audio recordings were provided by the FAA and used to compile this preliminary report. The NTSB continues to analyze the data.
During the week of October 28, 2024, the ATC working group convened at the Long Beach Airport Traffic Control Tower, the facility providing services to both aircraft at the time of the incident. Interviews were conducted with the LC1 and LC2 controllers, the operations supervisor on duty, the NATCA Vice Facility Representative, and the Air Traffic Manager.