What happened
On June 28, 2003, Geneva Airport experienced a period of intense traffic, with 14 aircraft managed by the aerodrome controller within a 12-minute window. During this busy period, an Iberia MD87, registration EC-FHD, was instructed to line up on runway 05 for an immediate departure. Simultaneously, a Swiss Airbus A319, registration HB-IPX, was on final approach to the same runway.
After the Iberia aircraft received takeoff clearance, it remained stationary on the runway for approximately 30 seconds. Recognizing the conflict, the controller issued multiple urgent commands to the Iberia crew to stop the takeoff, but the pilot did not respond to these instructions. To prevent a collision, the controller ordered the Swiss aircraft to perform a go-around. The crew of the Swiss aircraft executed a maneuver to the right to maintain visual separation from a light aircraft on the grass runway and then followed instructions to turn left. Eventually, the vertical separation between the two aircraft was restored to the standard 1000 feet.
The investigation
The investigation examined the radio communications, radar data, and the controller's actions. It was established that the controller was managing a heavy workload, including multiple arrivals and departures in very short intervals. Radar records confirmed that the Iberia aircraft did not respond to the controller's repeated attempts to cancel the takeoff clearance. The investigation also noted that the Swiss crew successfully maintained visual contact with the conflict and performed an appropriate avoidance maneuver. The investigation further analyzed the typical time required for aircraft to transition from lining up to rotation at Geneva, finding that the Iberia aircraft's 30-second delay was an outlier compared to the average 1 minute and 40 seconds observed in recent studies.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the failure of the Iberia crew to acknowledge or react to multiple takeoff cancellation instructions.
- The high volume of traffic and the presence of a light aircraft on the adjacent grass runway increased the complexity of the controller's tasks.
- The Swiss crew acted appropriately by performing a go-around and executing a maneuver to maintain visual separation from the departing aircraft.
- The Iberia pilot did not respond to radio communications for approximately 85 seconds following the initial takeoff authorization.