This record has been locked for editing.
| Date: | Sunday 30 July 2023 |
| Time: | 19:00 |
| Type: |  Airbus A320-214 |
| Owner/operator: | easyJet |
| Registration: | G-EJCI |
| MSN: | 4581 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2011 |
| Engine model: | CFMI CFM56-5B4/P |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 182 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | None |
| Category: | Serious incident |
| Location: | Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS/LFBO) -
 France
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS/LFBO) |
| London-Gatwick Airport (LGW/EGKK) | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
EasyJet flight U28414, an Airbus A320-214, took from the wrong intersection (N4) at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS) runway 32R.
During pre-flight preparations, both pilots completed a takeoff performance calculation from intersection N2 of Runway 32R at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport in France. During taxi, the aircraft was cleared to line up and take off from intersection N2 with 2,300 m takeoff distance available. However, the crew entered the runway via the N4 intersection, reducing the takeoff distance available by approximately 500 m. The Tower Controller did not monitor
the aircraft visually and did not notice the error. The aircraft rotated with 500 m of runway to go and passed the upwind end of the runway at a height of 180 ft.
An investigation conducted by the operator concluded that the operational environment at the home operating base at the time of the occurrence could be considered ‘challenging’. This was attributed to a combination of the application of calculated takeoff times and a perceived shortage of ground staff adding pressure to meet scheduled departure times. However, this ‘did not result in unsafe shortcuts or inappropriate rushing but did result in an expeditious mindset for the commander’.
The French ATC agency DSNA’s analysis concluded that the serious incident was caused by a ‘lack of effective
verification by the crew of the line-up intersection’. The lack of visual monitoring of the taxiing aircraft by controllers was recorded as a contributing factor due to,
- a lack of concentration at the start of the shift;
- this was the first occurrence of this type of routing error at Toulouse-Blagnac, and
- the controllers’ confidence placed in the crew knowing where they were going and the need for ‘traffic fluidity’.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://bea.aero/en/investigation-reports/notified-events/detail/serious-incident-to-an-airbus-a320-operatd-by-easyjet-on-30-07-2023-at-toulouse/
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/g-ejci#315e8f55
https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=407f66&lat=43.628&lon=1.373&zoom=15.5&showTrace=2023-07-30&trackLabels
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 11-Aug-2023 08:04 | harro | Added |
| 11-Aug-2023 08:08 | harro | Updated |
| 10-Apr-2025 14:00 | ASN | Updated [Total occupants, Narrative, Accident report, ] |
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