Hong Kong A333 at Hong Kong on Dec 23rd 2017, rejected takeoff due to other aircraft on runway

Last Update: June 29, 2022 / 18:45:15 GMT/Zulu time

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Photo of Hong Kong Airlines B-LNU, Airbus A330-300 — Hong Kong Airlines B-LNU, Airbus A330-300 (Photo credit: gordon.bevan@xtra.co.nz / Flickr / License: CC by-sa)

Incident Facts

Date of incident
Dec 23, 2017

Classification
Incident

Airline
Hong Kong Airlines

Flight number
HX-709

Departure
Hong Kong, China

Destination
Denpasar, Indonesia

Aircraft Registration
B-LNU

Aircraft Type
Airbus A330-300

ICAO Type Designator
A333

A Hong Kong Airlines Airbus A330-300, registration B-LNU performing flight HX-709 from Hong Kong (China) to Denpasar (Indonesia), was cleared for takeoff from Hong Kong's runway 07R when the crew of a Cathay Pacific Boeing 747-800, registration B-LJK performing flight CX-71 (dep Dec 22nd) from Anchorage,AK (USA) to Hong Kong (China), advised they were not yet clear of the runway still crossing the runway at taxiway J11 near the end of the runway. Tower in response immediately instructed HX-709 to stop. The crew rejected takeoff at low speed and radioed they were stopping, but were past taxiway J2 about 150 meters down the runway, would like to vacate via J3 and return to the holding point J1. Following taxi the aircraft departed about 8 minutes after the rejected takeoff.

Tower had cleared CX-71 to cross runway 07R at J11 about 35 seconds prior to the takeoff clearance for HX-709.

Hong Kong's CAD opened an investigation into the occurrence.

On Jan 4th 2018 the CAD reported the occurrence was rated a serious incident. The CAD summarized the occurrence briefly: "Shortly after Aircraft 1 was given take-off clearance by Air Traffic Control (ATC), the pilot of Aircraft 2 informed ATC that it was crossing the same runway and had not yet completely vacated the runway. Upon receiving information from Aircraft 2, ATC immediately instructed Aircraft 1 to stop and Aircraft 1 aborted the take-off. Aircraft 2 then continued to cross the runway while Aircraft 1 followed ATC instructions to vacate and line up the runway again for another take-off. "

On Jan 25th 2018 Hong Kong's CAD released their preliminary report confirming the sequence of events as reported so far.

On Jun 29th 2022 the CAD released their final report concluding the probable causes of the serious incident were:

Causes

- A take-off clearance was issued to the A333 (AC-DEP) when the B748F
(AC-CROSS) was still crossing the runway. The A333 commenced the take-off roll as instructed resulting in a serious incident.

- The inappropriate instruction was the result of a momentary lapse of situational awareness caused by distraction.

Contributing Factors

- An inadequate scanning prior to issuing a take-off clearance to the A333.

- No usage of a ‘Runway Blocked’ strip during the runway crossing of the B748F.

The CAD summarized the sequence of events:

At time 21:07 on 23 December 2017 a serious incident occurred at Hong Kong International Airport on Runway 07R (RWY07R) when a Hong Kong Airlines Limited Airbus A330-343 (A333) aircraft, given take-off clearance by Air Traffic Control (ATC), commenced the take-off roll while a Cathay Pacific Airways Limited Boeing 747-867F (B748F) aircraft was crossing at the far end of the same runway in accordance with ATC instruction.

The flight crew of the B748F aircraft immediately informed ATC that the aircraft was still crossing the runway. ATC immediately instructed the A333 aircraft to stop. The A333 aircraft aborted the take-off and came to a full stop on the runway after rolling for less than 200 metres.

The closest distance between the two aircraft was in excess of 3,000 metres. There was no damage to either aircraft and no injury was reported. The B748F aircraft continued to cross RWY07R and taxied to the cargo apron. The A333 aircraft vacated the runway, re-joined the departure queue and subsequently departed RWY07R at 21:14 without further incident.

The investigation team has made four safety recommendations.