An air traffic controller blamed for a blunder which put two jets on a collision course on a Manchester Airport runway has been allowed to keep his job.
Hundreds of passengers were on board and only the quick reactions of one of the pilots, who aborted his take-off after reaching more than 115mph, averted disaster.
A report into the incident published today revealed the controller had “forgotten” that he had given take-off clearance to a MyTravel Airways plane when he cleared a Ryanair plane to cross the runway.
And even after this incident, procedures that should have made the controller aware of his mistake “were not effective,” the report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said.
Instead, it took the “prompt action” of the MyTravel captain to prevent the two jets from colliding.
The 43-year-old pilot aborted his take-off and slammed on the brakes. His Airbus 321, set to fly to France with 220 passengers, came to a halt midway along the runway – yards from where the Ryanair Boeing 737 carrying 122 passengers had just crossed.
The controller, who had been qualified since 1996 and based at Manchester Airport since 2000, was suspended after the incident on February 29 this year, but returned to his post in September after “intensive retraining”.
The report said: “The incident occurred following a human error by a controller. The controller stated that he had forgotten that he had given take-off clearance to (the MyTravel jet) when he subsequently cleared (the Ryanair jet) to cross the runway.
“The defence against this incident becoming an accident was the use of effective situation-awareness by a flight crew. Whilst the risk of a collision was averted, the incident shows the importance of all crews and controllers maintaining maximum situational awareness at all times.”
Following the incident, the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) carried out a review of procedures and have made 17 recommendations, which are now being “rolled out” at 14 airports around the country where they operate.
A spokesman said: “The controller was suspended from duty and transferred to other duties while he undertook an intensive retraining programme.
“The controller returned to his duties in September 2004 having revalidated and with the support of the Civil Aviation Authority’s safety regulation group.
“We thoroughly investigated the incident and have since instigated a very substantial programme for improving procedures. We carried out a big review following the incident and have made 17 new recommendations which set out to achieve best operating practice across the 14 airports where we provide the air traffic control services.
“The revised procedures cover crossing runways, the use of Flight Progress Strips (FPS) in the tower and procedures for opening and closing runways in use and guiding inbound aircraft.
“This has all been agreed and the procedures are being gradually rolled out at all 14 airports. There is no timetable as such, but we are training all those controllers who will be carrying out these new procedures.”
A spokesman for Manchester Airport said: “We welcome the publication of this thorough report and have every confidence in the improvement measures taken by NATS.”
The Ryanair pilot, 44, who had 12,400 hours of flying experience, was also criticised in the AAIB report.
The maximum ground speed while taxiing should be 35mph but the Boeing 737 was travelling at 38 mph on the runway.
By: steve rowell - 14th November 2004 at 04:04
Situational awareness is a key factor in any form of transport, thank goodness a disaster was avoided in this case by a skipper with his finger on the pulse
By: steve rowell - 14th November 2004 at 04:04
Situational awareness is a key factor in any form of transport, thank goodness a disaster was avoided in this case by a skipper with his finger on the pulse
By: EK. - 13th November 2004 at 20:17
Mistakes happen and as our skies and airports get busier this type of incident will become more common, lets just hope that we have more fantastic pilots like the My Travel pilot.
By: EK. - 13th November 2004 at 20:17
Mistakes happen and as our skies and airports get busier this type of incident will become more common, lets just hope that we have more fantastic pilots like the My Travel pilot.
By: Bmused55 - 13th November 2004 at 19:45
Nuff said..
Couldn’t agree more
By: Bmused55 - 13th November 2004 at 19:45
Nuff said..
Couldn’t agree more
By: Moondance - 13th November 2004 at 19:38
unforgiveabled (if that is a word)
No its not a word! Far better read the original report at http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_avsafety/documents/page/dft_avsafety_032608.hcsp incuding some slightly barbed comments about Ryanair’s taxying speeds.
To quote a post on pprune (from, incidentally, one of THE very best Training Captains I have ever come across) “Commiserations to the ATCO – anyone who has never made a mistake has never made anything”
Nuff said..(that’s not a real word either)
By: Moondance - 13th November 2004 at 19:38
unforgiveabled (if that is a word)
No its not a word! Far better read the original report at http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_avsafety/documents/page/dft_avsafety_032608.hcsp incuding some slightly barbed comments about Ryanair’s taxying speeds.
To quote a post on pprune (from, incidentally, one of THE very best Training Captains I have ever come across) “Commiserations to the ATCO – anyone who has never made a mistake has never made anything”
Nuff said..(that’s not a real word either)
By: Bmused55 - 13th November 2004 at 19:37
It’s a disgraceful and unforgiveabled 😡 (if that is a word) mistake by the air traffic controller. For putting over 300 hundred people’s lives in danger he should be banned from Airports!
Aviation Man
Woah, woah… calm down!
You’re acting as if this poor guy actualy MEANT for this to happen?!
Are you saying you have never EVER made a mistake? If you are… then nice to meet you, GOD.
As grey area has said.. people make mistakes… thats what part of being human. Ok, so if ATC make a mistake it can have terrible consquences… but a mistake is just that… a mistake.
By: Bmused55 - 13th November 2004 at 19:37
It’s a disgraceful and unforgiveabled 😡 (if that is a word) mistake by the air traffic controller. For putting over 300 hundred people’s lives in danger he should be banned from Airports!
Aviation Man
Woah, woah… calm down!
You’re acting as if this poor guy actualy MEANT for this to happen?!
Are you saying you have never EVER made a mistake? If you are… then nice to meet you, GOD.
As grey area has said.. people make mistakes… thats what part of being human. Ok, so if ATC make a mistake it can have terrible consquences… but a mistake is just that… a mistake.
By: Grey Area - 13th November 2004 at 19:07
I presume that you’ve never made a mistake in your life, Aviation Man?
Controllers, like pilots and everyone else, are human. Humans are fallible.
Would you rather have ATC run by machines?
By: Grey Area - 13th November 2004 at 19:07
I presume that you’ve never made a mistake in your life, Aviation Man?
Controllers, like pilots and everyone else, are human. Humans are fallible.
Would you rather have ATC run by machines?
By: SHAMROCK321 - 13th November 2004 at 19:03
Mistakes happen.it wasnt the first and it wont be the last.All Air traffic Controllers are capable of doin their jobs and everysingle one is capable of making mistakes.the main thing is nobody was hurt.As our skies become more congested this sort of incident will become more common.lets hope though we dont have to many.
By: SHAMROCK321 - 13th November 2004 at 19:03
Mistakes happen.it wasnt the first and it wont be the last.All Air traffic Controllers are capable of doin their jobs and everysingle one is capable of making mistakes.the main thing is nobody was hurt.As our skies become more congested this sort of incident will become more common.lets hope though we dont have to many.
By: Aviation Man - 13th November 2004 at 17:53
It’s a disgraceful and unforgiveabled 😡 (if that is a word) mistake by the air traffic controller. For putting over 300 hundred people’s lives in danger he should be banned from Airports!
Aviation Man
By: Aviation Man - 13th November 2004 at 17:53
It’s a disgraceful and unforgiveabled 😡 (if that is a word) mistake by the air traffic controller. For putting over 300 hundred people’s lives in danger he should be banned from Airports!
Aviation Man
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November 13, 2004 at 5:37 pm