What happened
On the afternoon of August 14, 2002, an A319, registration I-BIMO, was cleared for takeoff from runway 28 at Lame andzia Terme airport. During the takeoff roll, once the aircraft had reached a speed of approximately 40 to 50 knots, the flight crew observed a vehicle, identified as 'Giallo 31', stationary on the center of the runway. The crew elected to continue the takeoff roll, determining that this was the safest course of action. The vehicle was estimated to be approximately 600 meters from the rotation point when it was cleared from the runway path.
The investigation
The ANSV investigation focused on the coordination between Ground (GND) and Approach (APP) controllers. The investigation established that the maintenance vehicle, a rental car used as a temporary substitute for a standard maintenance vehicle, was performing work on runway lights. While the controller had previously authorized the vehicle to resume work, there had been no radio communication between the GND controller and the vehicle in the period immediately preceding the takeoff. Furthermore, the investigation noted that the vehicle lacked the required high-visibility markings and safety equipment mandated by local airport access procedures.
Findings
- The primary cause of the event was the authorization of takeoff by the Lamezia APP controller while a vehicle was still present on the runway, without verifying that all safety requirements for a takeoff clearance had been met.
- Inadequate coordination between the GND and APP controllers contributed to the incident.
- The use of a rental vehicle that did not meet standard visibility and safety requirements made it difficult for the crew to spot the vehicle early.
- Low sun position on the horizon may have further hindered the crew's ability to identify the vehicle during the initial stages of the takeoff roll.