Incident Overview
At about 10:13 JST on October 15, 2022, a serious incident occurred at Noto Airport when a Bell 206B helicopter (JA6113), operated by JANET CORPORATION, initiated take-off from Runway 07 while a Textron Aviation B300C (JA871B) operated by the Japan Coast Guard was taxiing on the same runway toward the apron. The Japan Transport Safety Board classified the event as a serious incident under the category "Take-off from a runway being used by other aircraft."
Flight History
Aircraft A (the Bell 206B) was conducting sightseeing flights at an air festival hosted by School Corporation Japan Aviation Academy. It had been operating from a grass area adjacent to the airport. At about 10:10, the helicopter reported readiness to start its fifth sightseeing flight. Noto Radio, the aerodrome flight information service (AFIS) provider, informed Aircraft A that Aircraft B (the B300C) was on final approach to Runway 07. Aircraft A indicated it would taxi after Aircraft B landed.
At 10:11:35, Noto Radio advised Aircraft A to stand by as the arrival aircraft was landing. At 10:11:54, after Aircraft B landed, Noto Radio informed it that no obstacles were on the taxi route to the apron. Aircraft B continued taxiing toward the turn pad on Runway 25 to turn after landing.
At 10:12:35, Aircraft A reported ready to taxi and began air-taxiing at an altitude of about 10 feet, after receiving clearance from Noto Radio that the taxi route to Runway 07 was clear and being instructed to report when ready for take-off.
At 10:13:23, Aircraft A reported ready for take-off. Noto Radio responded, "RUNWAY IS CLEAR." The helicopter entered the runway, turned left, and immediately started its take-off climb. Meanwhile, Aircraft B, while completing the turn at the turn pad, heard the transmission and visually sighted the helicopter ahead. It held position and informed Noto Radio that it was still on the runway.
At 10:13:45, Noto Radio advised Aircraft A to hold, but Aircraft A reported that it had already taken off and was observing Aircraft B. The captain of Aircraft A saw Aircraft B approximately 800 meters ahead during the climb and changed heading 20° left of the runway to avoid facing it directly. After Aircraft B resumed taxiing and passed below, Aircraft A flew across the runway and landed at 10:17 via a right downwind leg.
Personnel and Aircraft Details
The captain of Aircraft A, aged 53, held a commercial pilot certificate for rotorcraft with a single-engine turbine rating and had 4,095 total flight hours. The captain of Aircraft B, aged 44, held a commercial pilot certificate for airplanes with multi-engine rating and 4,883 total flight hours; the co-pilot, aged 31, had 424 total flight hours. Noto Radio was operated by a 22-year-old flight information officer certified in mobile communication service, with a 20-year-old trainee providing support.
Aircraft A was a Bell 206B manufactured in 1991; Aircraft B was a Textron Aviation B300C manufactured in 2019. Both had valid airworthiness certificates. Weather at the time included variable wind at 5 knots, visibility 10 km or more, and scattered clouds.
Regulatory Context
The Civil Aeronautics Act requires pilots to maintain a watch to avoid collisions. Additionally, the Ordinance for Enforcement states that an aircraft taking off after another aircraft landing must not initiate taxi until the preceding aircraft has landed and left the landing strip. Noto Airport provides only aerodrome flight information service, not air traffic control, so crews must ensure their own separation.