Incident: Southwest B737 and Expressjet E145 at Cleveland on Jun 3rd 2009, runway incursion caused by ATC

09.03.2010 - 22:23

The NTSB released their factual report, stating that the tower controllers were in charge of both runways 06R and 06L and all taxiways in between the runways. The tower was occupied by a local controller and development controller (trainee) under supervision by the local controller. For the usual taxi route from the apron to runway 06L as departure runway ground control would guide airplanes along taxiway L to taxiway N, where the airplanes would change to tower and receive clearance to cross runway 06R via taxiway N, turn left onto taxiway G to the holding point at the approach end of runway 06L. After ground control had issued taxi clearance for both aircraft to taxiway N, the development controller cleared the Expressjet Embraer to hold short of runway 06R at N. The local controller directed the Southwest Boeing waiting behind the Embraer to turn left onto taxiway L and hold short of runway 06R at taxiway T. The local controller then cleared the Embraer to cross runway 06R at N. After an arriving Boeing 777-300 had passed the runway threshold 06R, the development controller cleared the Southwest Boeing to cross runway 06R at T and subsequently cleared the Embraer to cross runway 06R at November. About 30 seconds after he had cleared the Embraer to cross runway 06R, the development controller cleared the Embraer: "Jetlink 2941, wheels up in one minute, Sir. Turn left heading 360, runway 06L, cleared for takeoff." The Embraer acknowledged the clearance. About 75 seconds after that clearance the development controller cleared the Southwest Boeing, still waiting at taxiway T, to position and hold runway 06L, the clearance was acknowledged and the Boeing taxied onto the runway. At this point the Expressjet crew queried the controller: "Hey, Tower, 2941, we thought we were cleared to go?" The development controller stated, he had been writing down a call sign of a landing flight and had not seen taxi the Southwest taxi into position, the local controller cleared the Southwest: "Southwest 1080, hold short of runway 06R, I am sorry, hold short of runway 06L." Southwest replied immediately "We were told to taxi into position and hold." The local controller now cleared the Embraer to hold position and the Boeing to turn 180 degrees, back onto T and right onto G. After the Boeing had left the runway, the local controller cleared the Embraer for takeoff again. The Southwest crew again queried the controller stating, they had been cleared to taxi into position, to which the controller replied, "Affirmative, but not from the intersection." The Southwest Boeing was able to depart a short time later. Aerodrome Chart KCLE (Graphics: NACO): Read the article at http://avherald.com/h?articleAb469b1/0000 Modify your subscription at http://avherald.com/h?login