Incident Overview
On 24 July 2024, a serious incident occurred involving a Boeing 727-2M7 aircraft, registration PR-TTO, during the takeoff phase. Shortly after rotation, the aircraft crossed paths with a vehicle that had entered the main runway to perform maintenance works. The vehicle was towing a lighting tower. The aircraft passed at an approximate distance of six meters from the tower. Neither the aircraft nor the vehicle sustained any damage, and all occupants of both the aircraft and the vehicle were uninjured.
Sequence of Events
The aircraft was conducting a takeoff when, during rotation, a maintenance vehicle was observed on the runway ahead. The vehicle had entered the runway to perform maintenance tasks. The aircraft crew maneuvered to avoid collision, resulting in a close passage of about six meters from the lighting tower being towed. The occurrence was classified as a runway incursion (RI).
Investigation
Given that the United States is the State of Aircraft Design and Manufacture, an Accredited Representative from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was appointed to participate in the investigation. The investigation focused on the circumstances surrounding the incursion, including the entry of the vehicle onto the active runway during the takeoff roll. No further details on the findings have been released at this time.