What happened
On March 21, 2003, TransAsia Airways flight GE543, an A321-131 with registration B22603, was operating a scheduled passenger service from Taipei Tsongshan Airport to Tainan Airport. The flight, carrying 169 passengers and 6 crew members, arrived at Tainan Airport at approximately 22:34 local time.
During the landing roll on runway 36R, the aircraft struck a construction vehicle that had entered the active runway to perform maintenance work. While there were no injuries among the 175 people on board the aircraft, the collision caused severe damage to the aircraft and destroyed the construction vehicle. The driver of the vehicle sustained a bone fracture, and two other ground personnel suffered minor injuries.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the breakdown of coordination between the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA), the Tainan Air Force Base, and the third-party contractors. Investigators established that while several coordination meetings had been held prior to the incident to manage runway maintenance, many safety protocols and meeting conclusions were not implemented.
On the night of the accident, the construction crew entered the operational area without requesting clearance from the tower. The Air Force supervisor failed to confirm the flight status with the duty officer before allowing the contractors onto the runway. Furthermore, the contractor's vehicle lacked functional strobe lights, making it difficult for the flight crew or air traffic controllers to identify the hazard. The investigation also noted that the contractor's radios were inoperable, preventing the crew from alerting the tower to the presence of the vehicle.
Findings
- Failure to follow clearance procedures: Neither the construction supervisor nor the contractor requested necessary clearance from the tower before entering the active runway.
- Inadequate coordination and oversight: There was a significant lack of clarity regarding the responsibilities of the "Airport Management Unit" and the jurisdiction between CAA and Air Force personnel.
- Equipment and safety deficiencies: The construction vehicle was not equipped with necessary strobe lights, and the contractor failed to provide functional radios to the on-site team.
- Communication breakdown: The flight tower was unaware of the vehicle's intrusion, and the contractor failed to issue a NOTAM regarding the scheduled maintenance work.
- Lack of training: The construction workers had not received adequate training in radio phraseology or emergency communication procedures.