What happened
On the afternoon of August 14, 2002, an A319, registration I-BIMO, was prepared for takeoff from runway 28 at Lamezia Terme Airport. During the takeoff roll, once the aircraft had reached a speed of approximately 40 to 50 knots, the flight crew observed a vehicle, identified as 'Giallo 31', stationary on the runway centerline. The crew elected to continue the takeoff roll, judging this to be the safest course of action. The vehicle was estimated to be approximately 600 meters from the rotation point when it was cleared from the runway.
The investigation
The ANSV investigation focused on the coordination between ground and tower controllers and the status of the maintenance vehicle. The investigation established that the vehicle was being used by a company performing maintenance on airfield lighting. Because the standard maintenance vehicle was unavailable, a rental car had been temporarily authorized to enter the maneuvering area.
Investigators found that there had been no radio communication between the ground controller (GND) and the vehicle between 16:36 and the time of the incident. Furthermore, the investigation revealed that the rental vehicle lacked the required high-visibility markings and safety equipment mandated by local airport access procedures. The low position of the sun during the takeoff roll may have also hindered the crew's ability to spot the vehicle earlier.
Findings
- The primary cause was the authorization of takeoff by the Lamezia APP controller while a vehicle was still present on the runway without verifying that all safety requirements for a takeoff clearance had been met.
- The use of a rental vehicle that did not meet visibility and safety standards made the vehicle harder to detect.
- Inadequate coordination between the ground (GND) and approach (APP) controllers.
- Environmental factors, specifically the low sun angle, contributed to the difficulty in identifying the vehicle.