What happened
On 25 October 2013, a Cessna 172L, registration ZS-PXH, was conducting a visual flight rules training flight at Lanseria Aerodrome (FALA). During the flight, the pilot-in-command was executing a touch-and-go maneuver on Runway 24R. At the same time, air traffic control (ATC) was managing a runway change from 24R to 06L due to shifting wind conditions.
While the aircraft was accelerating in ground effect following rotation, the pilot observed Fire Truck 8 (FT8) backtracking on the runway, facing the aircraft. The pilot immediately contacted ATC to inquire if the controller was aware of the vehicle's presence. The controller acknowledged the vehicle but noted that the truck was intended to enter via the Runway 24R threshold rather than the 06L threshold. There were no injuries and no damage to the aircraft during the incident.
The investigation
An investigation by the SACAA AIID established that the controller had cleared FT8 to enter Runway 06L and instructed the driver to listen to the tower frequency. The driver of the vehicle confirmed that after receiving this clearance and reading it back, they proceeded onto the runway. Approximately 400 meters down Runway 06L, the driver spotted the aircraft taking off from the opposite runway.
The investigation revealed that the controller was managing several tasks, including writing a flight progress strip, when the clearance was issued. Furthermore, a critical monitoring tool used to observe the Runway 24R threshold was unserviceable at the time, forcing the controller to rely on visual observation through the tower window. The controller had only been on duty for 17 minutes and had limited solo experience in the position.