What happened
On July 9, 2007, a Robin DR 400-160, registration F-GGJY, was operating a discovery flight from Nantes-Atlantique Airport carrying the pilot and three students. During taxiing toward holding point B for runway 03, the pilot was instructed by Ground Control on three separate occasions to yield to a Boeing 737. The pilot did not respond to these instructions until the fourth request.
While the Boeing 737 departed runway 03, a CRJ aircraft was cleared to taxi and subsequently departed from the opposite runway, 21. At approximately 15:59, the pilot of the Robin DR 400-160 informed Ground Control that the aircraft was at holding point B and ready for departure. After being instructed to contact Tower, the pilot aligned the aircraft on the runway. At 16:00, the pilot announced to the Tower frequency that the aircraft was lined up and ready for takeoff. The controller immediately corrected the pilot, stating that alignment had not been authorized. The pilot acknowledged the error, noting that his attention had been divided due to the presence of students on board.
The investigation
The investigation examined the sequence of communications and the pilot's actions during the taxi phase. It was established that the pilot was conducting his first flight of the day and was actively engaged in answering questions and providing aeronautical explanations to his passengers during the taxi.
Investigators noted that while the pilot observed the shadow and heard the engine noise of the departing CRJ, the physical layout of the airfield may have made it difficult to visually identify the CRJ departing from runway 21 while positioned at holding point B. The investigation also reviewed the controller's actions, noting that the tower was staffed by a qualified controller and a trainee, both of whom were primarily focused on the CRJ's departure and other traffic in the circuit.
Findings
- The pilot experienced diminished situational awareness regarding surrounding traffic due to a distraction caused by interacting with his passengers.
- The pilot performed an incomplete verification of the readback for a specific air traffic control instruction.