What happened
On the evening of July 8, 2012, a serious runway incursion occurred at Fukuoka Airport involving two aircraft. A privately owned Cessna 172RG, registered JA4178, was on final approach to Runway 34 after receiving landing clearance from the tower. Simultaneously, a Bombardier DHC-8-402, registered JA847C, operated by Japan Air Commuter Co., Ltd., was instructed by the controller to line up and wait on the same runway for departure.
As the Cessna 172RG approached the runway, the controller realized the conflict and ordered the pilot to perform a go-around. The aircraft was approximately 0.8 nm from the runway end when the instruction was issued. There were no injuries to the three occupants of the Cessna 172RG or the 75 persons on board the Bombardier DHC-8-402, and no damage was sustained by either aircraft.
The investigation
The Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB) examined air traffic control communications, radar tracking records, and statements from the pilots and the controller. The investigation focused on why the controller issued a landing clearance to JA417 and then subsequently instructed JA847C to enter the runway.
Investigators looked into the workload of the tower during the period, noting a high volume of traffic including several scheduled departures and multiple news-gathering helicopters requesting departures. The investigation also reviewed the use of flight strips as a tool for maintaining situational awareness and the physical layout of the control tower.