2007 San Francisco International Airport runway incursion
Encyclopedia
The 2007 San Francisco International Airport runway incursion
occurred around 1:30 pm PST on May 26, 2007 when SkyWest Airlines
(operating as United Express
) Flight 5741 (SKW5741), an Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia
turboprop
aircraft, nearly collided with Republic Airlines
(operating as Frontier Airlines
) Flight 4912, an Embraer 170 Regional Jet, at the intersection of runways 1L and 28R at San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
, South San Francisco, California
.
There were no reported injuries to occupants and no reported damage to either aircraft. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
officials described the runway incursion as the most serious incident of its kind in at least a decade, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
initiated an investigation into the incident.
to runway 28R by NorCal approach control. After being switched over to the tower controller
, SkyWest was cleared to land on runway 28R. At the same time, the Republic Airlines aircraft, bound for Los Angeles
, California was instructed to taxi into position and hold for two minutes before takeoff clearance was also granted on the intersecting runway 1L. As the landing SkyWest aircraft passed the runway threshold the Republic Airlines aircraft was cleared for takeoff. Local procedures and FAA Order 7110.65
require the local controller to wait until the landing aircraft has passed through the intersection before clearing an aircraft for takeoff on one of the intersecting runways.
Approximately 27 seconds later the Airport Movement Area Safety System
(AMASS) issued an aural warning of an imminent collision, and the local controller
attempted to instruct the SkyWest aircraft to stop, transmitting, "uh, sky-, skywest uhh fifty seven forty one HOLD HOLD HOLD". The SkyWest aircraft came to a stop in the intersection of runways 1L and 28R, while Republic Airlines flight lifted off and overflew it. The initial FAA tower report estimated the aircraft missed colliding by 300 feet; however the Skywest crew estimated the distance as 30 to 50 feet.
described the Tenerife disaster
30 years earlier as a "wake-up" call. Runway safety has been on the NTSB's annual list of "Most Wanted Improvements" continuously since 1990, and the NTSB held a one-day forum on runway incursions just two months earlier, on March 27, 2007.
In this case, the FAA categorized the incident's severity as "Category A", the most severe;
Category A is defined as when "separation decreases and participants take extreme action to narrowly avoid a collision, or the event results in a collision." Of the previous 15 runway incursions at SFO between 2001 and 2007, none of them were more serious than Category C, defined as the situation where "separation decreases but there is ample time and distance to avoid a potential collision".
Commenting on the seriousness of the incident, NTSB spokesman Ted Lopatkiewicz noted that "We investigate probably just a handful (of incursions) a year." The NTSB officials have stated that the investigation could be completed by Fall. However, FAA spokesman Ian Gregor was quoted as saying "This wasn't a procedural issue, this was caused by a good controller with a lot of experience making a mistake", adding that since the incursion the controller had to be recertified for their job. The controller had over 20 years' experience.
Runway incursion
A runway incursion is an incident where an unauthorized aircraft, vehicle or person is on a runway. This adversely affects runway safety, as it creates the risk that an airplane taking off or landing will collide with the object...
occurred around 1:30 pm PST on May 26, 2007 when SkyWest Airlines
Skywest Airlines
Skywest Airlines Pty Ltd is a regional airline company based in Perth, Western Australia, Australia; servicing key towns in the state of Western Australia, Darwin, Northern Territory and Melbourne, Victoria; as well as charter flights to Bali, Indonesia....
(operating as United Express
United Express
United Express is a brand name under which eight regional airlines operate feeder flights for United Airlines. They primarily connect smaller cities with United's domestic hub airports and “focus cities,” although they offer some point-to-point service such as Sacramento to Eureka.As of Sept...
) Flight 5741 (SKW5741), an Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia
Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia
-Accidents:*Brazilian Air Force on July 8, 1988 an Embraer EMB 120RT Brasília registration FAB-2001 crashed during and engine-out landing at São José dos Campos. Five of the 9 occupants died....
turboprop
Turboprop
A turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
aircraft, nearly collided with Republic Airlines
Republic Airlines
Republic Airline, Inc., operating as Republic Airlines is a regional airline subsidiary of Republic Airways Holdings that operates service as Frontier Airlines, Midwest Airlines and US Airways Express using a fleet of Bombardier Q400, Embraer 170, Embraer 175 and Embraer 190 aircraft...
(operating as Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines, Inc., is an American airline headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The carrier, which is a subsidiary and operating brand of Republic Airways Holdings, operates flights to 83 destinations throughout the United States, Mexico, and Costa Rica and maintains hubs at...
) Flight 4912, an Embraer 170 Regional Jet, at the intersection of runways 1L and 28R at San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport is a major international airport located south of downtown San Francisco, California, United States, near the cities of Millbrae and San Bruno in unincorporated San Mateo County. It is often referred to as SFO...
, South San Francisco, California
South San Francisco, California
South San Francisco is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, located on the San Francisco Peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area...
.
There were no reported injuries to occupants and no reported damage to either aircraft. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
officials described the runway incursion as the most serious incident of its kind in at least a decade, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
National Transportation Safety Board
The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and incidents, certain types of highway crashes, ship and marine...
initiated an investigation into the incident.
Incident
The SkyWest aircraft was arriving at SFO after a flight from Modesto, California, and was cleared for a visual approachVisual approach
The Federal Aviation Administration , defines a visual approach as one conducted under instrument flight rules , which authorizes the pilot to proceed visually and clear of clouds to the airport. The pilot must, at all times, have either the airport or the preceding aircraft in sight...
to runway 28R by NorCal approach control. After being switched over to the tower controller
Air traffic controller
Air traffic controllers are the people who expedite and maintain a safe and orderly flow of air traffic in the global air traffic control system. The position of the air traffic controller is one that requires highly specialized skills...
, SkyWest was cleared to land on runway 28R. At the same time, the Republic Airlines aircraft, bound for Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California was instructed to taxi into position and hold for two minutes before takeoff clearance was also granted on the intersecting runway 1L. As the landing SkyWest aircraft passed the runway threshold the Republic Airlines aircraft was cleared for takeoff. Local procedures and FAA Order 7110.65
FAA Order 7110.65
FAA Order 7110.65 is an FAA manual that prescribes air traffic control procedures and phraseology for use by personnel providing ATC services in the USA...
require the local controller to wait until the landing aircraft has passed through the intersection before clearing an aircraft for takeoff on one of the intersecting runways.
Approximately 27 seconds later the Airport Movement Area Safety System
Airport Movement Area Safety System
The Airport Movement Area Safety System visually and aurally prompts tower controllers to respond to situations which potentially compromise safety. AMASS is an add-on enhancement to the host ASDE-3 radar that will provide automated alerts and warnings to potential runway incursions and other...
(AMASS) issued an aural warning of an imminent collision, and the local controller
Air traffic controller
Air traffic controllers are the people who expedite and maintain a safe and orderly flow of air traffic in the global air traffic control system. The position of the air traffic controller is one that requires highly specialized skills...
attempted to instruct the SkyWest aircraft to stop, transmitting, "uh, sky-, skywest uhh fifty seven forty one HOLD HOLD HOLD". The SkyWest aircraft came to a stop in the intersection of runways 1L and 28R, while Republic Airlines flight lifted off and overflew it. The initial FAA tower report estimated the aircraft missed colliding by 300 feet; however the Skywest crew estimated the distance as 30 to 50 feet.
Investigation
Runway safety has been a priority concern for both the FAA and NTSB. In a March 23, 2007 press conference on runway safety the FAA Administrator Marion C. BlakeyMarion Blakey
Marion Clifton Blakey is president and chief executive officer of the Aerospace Industries Association. AIA represents the nation’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of civil, military, and business aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial systems, space systems, aircraft engines, missiles,...
described the Tenerife disaster
Tenerife disaster
The Tenerife airport disaster occurred on March 27, 1977, when two Boeing 747 passenger aircraft collided on the runway of Los Rodeos Airport on the Spanish island of Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands...
30 years earlier as a "wake-up" call. Runway safety has been on the NTSB's annual list of "Most Wanted Improvements" continuously since 1990, and the NTSB held a one-day forum on runway incursions just two months earlier, on March 27, 2007.
In this case, the FAA categorized the incident's severity as "Category A", the most severe;
Category A is defined as when "separation decreases and participants take extreme action to narrowly avoid a collision, or the event results in a collision." Of the previous 15 runway incursions at SFO between 2001 and 2007, none of them were more serious than Category C, defined as the situation where "separation decreases but there is ample time and distance to avoid a potential collision".
Commenting on the seriousness of the incident, NTSB spokesman Ted Lopatkiewicz noted that "We investigate probably just a handful (of incursions) a year." The NTSB officials have stated that the investigation could be completed by Fall. However, FAA spokesman Ian Gregor was quoted as saying "This wasn't a procedural issue, this was caused by a good controller with a lot of experience making a mistake", adding that since the incursion the controller had to be recertified for their job. The controller had over 20 years' experience.
SFO and AMASS
SFO was initially selected for the first test installation of the AMASS ground radar system in 1992. AMASS, which can detect and alert controllers to potential runway conflicts, was intended by the FAA to be eventually installed in 40 airports around the country. However much criticism was directed at the project for cost overruns and lengthy delays. The SFO AMASS was finally declared operational on June 18, 2001. According to AMASS technical support personnel, in a scenario such as this conflict, AMASS is designed to provide an alert 15 seconds before the aircraft reach the conflict point, and the system performed as designed.See also
- Runway incursionRunway incursionA runway incursion is an incident where an unauthorized aircraft, vehicle or person is on a runway. This adversely affects runway safety, as it creates the risk that an airplane taking off or landing will collide with the object...