What happened
On December 3, 2020, a serious incident occurred at Congonhels - Deputado Freitas Nobre Airport (SBSP) involving two commercial aircraft. An Embraer ERJ 190-200 LR, registration PR-AUJ, was on final approach for landing on runway 35L. Simultaneously, a Boeing 737-8EH, registration PR-GUD, was positioned at the threshold of the same runway, awaiting clearance to depart.
The air traffic controller at the Congonhas Tower (TWR-SP) issued landing clearance to the PR-AUJ while the PR-GUD was still occupying the runway. Upon realizing the conflict, the crew of the PR-GUD alerted the tower that they were still on the runway. Consequently, the controller instructed the PR-AUJ to execute a go-around. The PR-AUJ performed the maneuver, passing over the PR-GUD at a vertical separation of approximately 22 meters. There were no injuries to the 231 passengers and 11 crew members involved, and no damage was sustained by either aircraft.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation focused on the runway incursion and the air traffic management/communication services during the event. The investigation reviewed the flight histories of both aircraft, the operational status of the air traffic controllers, and the sequence of communications between the tower and the flight crews. The analysis also considered the historical context of the airport, noting several previous runway incursions and near-misses at the same location involving various operators.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was inadequate air traffic management, specifically the issuance of a landing clearance to the PR-AUJ while the PR-GUD was still occupying the runway threshold.
- The incident is classified as a runway incursion involving a failure in air traffic control/communication services.
- The airport environment at Congonhas has a documented history of similar safety events, including previous instances where aircraft crossed hold bars or were instructed to go-around due to runway occupancy conflicts.