What happened
On April 5, 2015, a Japan Airlines Boeing 767-300, registered JA8299, was operating flight 455 from Tokyo International Airport to Tokushima Aerodrome. During the final approach to Runway 29, the flight crew received landing clearance from the tower at 10:53 JST. As the aircraft passed the runway threshold at approximately 10:58, the First Officer noticed a rotating light on the runway surface.
Upon realizing an obstacle was present, the First Officer called for a go-around. The pilot immediately initiated the maneuver, with the main landing gear briefly touching the runway before the aircraft climbed away. The aircraft subsequently passed directly over an electric maintenance work vehicle that was positioned on the runway. There were 67 people on board the aircraft, including 59 passengers, and no injuries were reported.
The investigation
The Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB) investigated the incident, focusing on the sequence of communications between the tower and the aircraft, as well as the presence of the maintenance vehicle. The investigation established that an electric maintenance worker had entered the runway at 10:43 JST with permission from the tower to replace distance marker lights.
Investigators examined the workload of the air traffic controller on duty, finding that the supervisor was managing both tower and ground duties alone. The investigation also reviewed the cockpit environment, noting that while the pilot was managing a strong crosswind and tailwind, the crew was not expecting any runway obstructions due to the previously issued landing clearance.