Narrative:
A Dornier 328 operated by SkyWork Airlines (HB-AEO) and an Embraer ERJ-190 operated by KLM Cityhopper (PH-EXB) were involved in a serious runway incursion incident at Basel/Mulhouse/Freiburg EuroAirport, France.
SkyWork Airlines flight SX521, a regular passenger flight to Berne, Switzerland, was cleared to taxi via taxiway G for a runway 15 departure.
At the same time, KLM Cityhopper flight KL1986 to Amsterdam, the Netherlands, was cleared to taxi to runway 33 (same runway, opposite direction) via taxiway D. The Basel Tower controller instructed KL1986 to hold short of the runway: "KLM1986 bonjour, hold short of runway 33 Delta". This instruction was read back by the flight crew as: "Line up and wait runway 33 Delta".
Nine seconds later, KLM1986 entered the runway. At the same time flight SX521 was commencing takeoff. The Dornier overflew the ERJ-190 on departure. The vertical separation between the two aircraft was 380 ft at the time of crossing.
Distance between taxiways D and G is approx. 1320 meters.
The runway incursion resulted from an incorrect understanding of the ATC instruction by the crew of flight KLM1986 and the ATC not detecting the read-back error. A partial visual check by the crew, prior to entering the runway, and partial ATC surveillance did not prevent the incursion.
The following factors may have contributed to the event:
- an inaccurate perception of the crew regarding the runway in use;
- time pressure and distraction in the cockpit;
- use of a short taxiway to the runway which left little time for the crew to build an appropriate perception of the actual situation;
- simultaneous management by the ATC of a VFR flight and another IFR flight leaving from runway 33.
Runway mishap
METAR LFSB 071000Z VRB04KT 9999 FEW026 BKN110 06/M03 Q1004 NOSIG
light variable winds at 4 knots, a visibility of 10+ km with clouds at 2600 ft and broken clouds at 11000 feet
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Monday 7 March 2016 |
| Time: | 11:07 |
| Type: |  Embraer ERJ 190STD (ERJ-190-100) |
| Operator: | KLM Cityhopper |
| Registration: | PH-EXB |
| MSN: | 19000658 |
| First flight: | 2014 |
| Engines: | 2 General Electric CF34-10E5 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: |
| Aircraft damage: | None |
| Location: | Basel/Mulhouse/Freiburg EuroAirport (BSL) ( France)
|
| Phase: | Taxi (TXI) |
| Nature: | International Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Basel/Mulhouse/Freiburg EuroAirport (BSL/LFSB), France |
| Amsterdam-Schiphol International Airport (AMS/EHAM), Netherlands | |
| Flightnumber: | KL1986 |
A Dornier 328 operated by SkyWork Airlines (HB-AEO) and an Embraer ERJ-190 operated by KLM Cityhopper (PH-EXB) were involved in a serious runway incursion incident at Basel/Mulhouse/Freiburg EuroAirport, France.
SkyWork Airlines flight SX521, a regular passenger flight to Berne, Switzerland, was cleared to taxi via taxiway G for a runway 15 departure.
At the same time, KLM Cityhopper flight KL1986 to Amsterdam, the Netherlands, was cleared to taxi to runway 33 (same runway, opposite direction) via taxiway D. The Basel Tower controller instructed KL1986 to hold short of the runway: "KLM1986 bonjour, hold short of runway 33 Delta". This instruction was read back by the flight crew as: "Line up and wait runway 33 Delta".
Nine seconds later, KLM1986 entered the runway. At the same time flight SX521 was commencing takeoff. The Dornier overflew the ERJ-190 on departure. The vertical separation between the two aircraft was 380 ft at the time of crossing.
Distance between taxiways D and G is approx. 1320 meters.
Probable Cause:
The runway incursion resulted from an incorrect understanding of the ATC instruction by the crew of flight KLM1986 and the ATC not detecting the read-back error. A partial visual check by the crew, prior to entering the runway, and partial ATC surveillance did not prevent the incursion.
The following factors may have contributed to the event:
- an inaccurate perception of the crew regarding the runway in use;
- time pressure and distraction in the cockpit;
- use of a short taxiway to the runway which left little time for the crew to build an appropriate perception of the actual situation;
- simultaneous management by the ATC of a VFR flight and another IFR flight leaving from runway 33.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Language/communication problems Runway mishap
METAR Weather report:
10:00 UTC / 11:00 local time:METAR LFSB 071000Z VRB04KT 9999 FEW026 BKN110 06/M03 Q1004 NOSIG
light variable winds at 4 knots, a visibility of 10+ km with clouds at 2600 ft and broken clouds at 11000 feet
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Basel/Mulhouse/Freiburg EuroAirport to Amsterdam-Schiphol International Airport as the crow flies is 556 km (348 miles).
Accident location: Exact; deduced from official accident report.
Distance from Basel/Mulhouse/Freiburg EuroAirport to Amsterdam-Schiphol International Airport as the crow flies is 556 km (348 miles).
Accident location: Exact; deduced from official accident report.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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