What happened
On 28 October 2025, an Airbus A320-251N with registration HB-AYE, operated by EasyJet Switzerland, was on final approach to runway 03L at Las Palmas - Gran Canaria airport (GCLP). At the same time, a formation of four Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcons from the Greek Army, participating in the Ocean Sky 2025 military exercise, was cleared for take-off on the parallel runway 03R. The first three fighters lifted off while the commercial aircraft was on final approach. However, the fourth F-16 experienced a slight delay in reaching the head of the runway and began its take-off roll just as the A320 touched down at 16:33 local time. This simultaneous operation on two parallel runways that are not spaced far enough apart for independent operations resulted in a loss of separation between the civilian jet and the military fighter.
The investigation
The Spanish Civil Aviation Accident Investigation Commission (CIAIAC) examined the sequence of events, including air traffic control communications and radar data. The investigation established that the air traffic controller was fully aware of the delay of the fourth F-16 relative to the rest of the formation. At the time the A320 was cleared to land, the leader of the military formation had already switched to the approach frequency, leaving the controller without direct communication with the pilot of the delayed aircraft. The analysis noted that the controller considered instructing the A320 crew to go around but determined that allowing the landing was the safest option given the performance differences between the aircraft and the presence of another high-speed military formation approaching the airport.
Findings
The primary cause of the incident was an unforeseen delay during the take-off of the fourth F-16. The investigation concluded that the air traffic controller made the correct situational assessment and chose the option that least compromised safety. Contributing factors included the inability to directly contact the delayed military pilot to abort the take-off and the high workload at the tower due to the increased traffic from the military exercise. No injuries were reported, and neither aircraft sustained damage.