What happened
On April 17, 2024, at approximately 20:46 UTC, a Swiss International Air Lines flight, operating an Airbus A330-343 with registration HB-JHD, was involved in a surface event at John F. Kennedy International Airport (KJFK) in New York. While the aircraft was preparing for departure from runway 04L, the Local 1 controller issued takeoff clearance. Simultaneously, the Local 2 controller had instructed four other aircraft to cross the same runway further downfield.
As the Airbus A330-343 accelerated down the runway, it reached a speed of 50 knots and had traveled 800 feet from the start of the runway when the pilot decided to abort the takeoff. During this event, the closest proximity between the departing aircraft and the first of the crossing aircraft was approximately 4,600 feet.
The investigation
The investigation into this incident involves the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in the United States. The inquiry focused on the conflicting instructions provided by the two different controllers regarding the use of runway 04L and the movement of aircraft across the runway path.