What happened
On 7 January 2016, a Boeing 737-700, registration D-ABLB, operated by Germania Fluggesellschaft mbH, was preparing for a scheduled flight from Gran Canaria Airport (GCLP) to Friedrichshafen, Germany. At the time, runway 03R was temporarily closed for surveying work, leaving only runway 03L in use.
Following a shift change, the local controller cleared the aircraft to cross runway 03L and line up and wait on the closed runway 03R. Upon reaching taxiway S4, the flight crew noticed the stop bar lights were illuminated and reported this to air traffic control. However, the controller, who was focused on a complex helicopter recovery procedure, did not ask for a repetition of the report and instead re-authorized the aircraft to line up and wait on runway 03R.
After receiving takeoff clearance, the crew began the takeoff run. After traveling approximately 270 meters, the controller noticed a vehicle on the runway strip and instructed the crew to cancel the takeoff. There were no injuries and no damage to the aircraft.
The investigation
The CIAIAC investigation examined the controller's actions, the crew's response, and the airport's safety protocols. The investigation found that the controller was managing a high workload due to a new, complex helicopter recovery procedure for which controllers had only received classroom training, not simulator training.
Investigators also reviewed the status of the runway closure. While the closure was published via NOTAM, the controller failed to notice visual aids in the tower indicating the runway was closed. Furthermore, the investigation noted that a proposed mitigation measure—placing cones at the threshold of closed runways—had been discussed by the Local Runway Safety Committee but had not yet been formally approved or implemented.
Findings
- The primary cause was the controller's loss of situational awareness, leading him to instruct the aircraft to enter and take off from a closed runway.
- The controller's attention was diverted by the high-stress coordination required for a new helicopter recovery procedure.
- The controller failed to detect the presence of a vehicle on the runway strip, potentially because the vehicle's flashing lights were not visible or were turned off.
- The crew crossed an illuminated stop bar without clear information regarding whether contingency measures were in place to allow such a maneuver.
- The crew initiated the takeoff run despite having visual contact with the vehicle on the runway strip.
- The lack of approved safety measures, such as the use of threshold cones, removed a critical layer of protection.