What happened
On 1 June 2010, during a period of low visibility at Jersey Airport, a fire service vehicle, callsign ‘Rescue 6’, entered the active runway without proper clearance. The incident occurred during a routine bird dispersal patrol. The driver of the vehicle, operating an AFRS general purpose vehicle, had been instructed to proceed to Holding Point A1 and to contact the Tower on frequency 119.45 MHz.
However, the driver entered the runway and proceeded along its length for approximately two to four minutes to disperse birds. During this time, the Tower Controller was unaware of the vehicle's presence on the runway. The situation was only discovered when the Ground Movement Control (GMC) contacted the vehicle to remind the driver of the need to contact the Tower. Upon this exchange, it became apparent that the vehicle had already traversed the runway and was vacating at the western end.
At the time of the incursion, an aircraft, registration F-TEZZ, an Embraer ERJ 190-200 LR, was on short final approach. Although the controller was about to instruct the aircraft to perform a go-around, the pilot of F-TEZZ had already initiated the maneuver independently.
The investigation
The investigation examined radio transcripts, CCTV footage, and meteorological reports. It was established that Low Visibility Procedures (LVPs) were in force due to fog and drizzle. The investigation also reviewed the driver's use of radio equipment, noting that the driver was using a separate portable radio for communications.
Analysis of the radio transmissions suggested that the driver may have heard an instruction intended for another aircraft—specifically, a command to 'REPORT VACATED'—and misinterpreted it as a personal clearance to enter the runway. Furthermore, the investigation found that the driver had tuned the vehicle's installed radio to the GMC frequency (121.9 MHz) while using the portable radio on the Tower frequency (119.45 MHz), a practice that contributed to the confusion.
Findings
- The vehicle entered the runway without authorization, occupying the area for several minutes.
- The driver misinterpreted an instruction intended for another aircraft as a clearance to enter the runway.
- The driver was simultaneously monitoring two different radio frequencies, which led to the communication error.
- The vehicle's presence on the runway was not known to Air Traffic Control until the vehicle was already vacating.
- There was no evidence that the red stop bar at Holding Point A1 was visible to the driver due to positioning, and no explanation was provided for why the driver failed to observe it.
Safety action
Following the incident, Jersey Airport conducted an internal investigation and issued safety notices regarding aeronautical driving procedures. A review of driving procedures across the airport was also conducted.