Ryanair B738 at Malaga on Oct 23rd 2020, loss of separation during takeoff run
Last Update: August 19, 2022 / 20:04:53 GMT/Zulu time
Incident Facts
Date of incident
Oct 23, 2020
Classification
Incident
Airline
Ryanair
Flight number
FR-2334
Departure
Malaga, Spain
Destination
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Aircraft Registration
EI-EBC
Aircraft Type
Boeing 737-800
ICAO Type Designator
B738
An Emergency Medical Service Beechcraft B200 was on final approach to runway 13 at the same time and touched down on runway 13.
On Dec 3rd 2020 Spain's CIAIAC reported the horizontal separation between the aircraft reduced to about 0.9nm while the Boeing was still performing the takeoff maneouver. An investigation was opened.
On Aug 19th 2022 the CIAIAC released their final report concluding the probable cause of the incident was:
The investigation has concluded that the incident occurred due to poor landing and take-off planning, which led to an aircraft being cleared to land on a runway already occupied by another on take-off without respecting the minimum separation requirements.
The CIAIAC analysed:
The following factors are considered to have played a decisive role in reducing the separation between the aircraft:
- The air traffic controller’s plan to take advantage of a gap between two aircraft on visual approach to clear the take-off of another aircraft, while the last approaching aircraft was 4.6 NM from the threshold, completing the downwind leg.
- The air traffic controller’s conditional instruction to align the aircraft on take-off when the first approaching aircraft was 2.4 NM from the runway threshold.
- The air traffic controller’s decision to take-off an aircraft lined up on the runway when the aircraft on approach was 2.2 NM away.
...
In the incident analysed, the planned take-off window for the RYR7YM traffic was insufficient. Furthermore, the air traffic controller did not take into account the instructions in the LEMG Operating Manual or the aforementioned AESA recommendations. The TWR communicated with ANE8269 and UGC113B in Spanish and RYR7YM in English, which did not help the situational awareness of the crew on take-off. While it’s true that the approaching traffic could see the preceding traffic on take-off, RYR7YM was given no information about the arriving traffic.
...
The moment of minimum separation between the aircraft occurred at 16:17:17 UTC when aircraft RYR7YM was on take-off run at a speed of 90 kt, and aircraft UGC113B was on short final at 130 kt. The horizontal separation between the aircraft was 0.8 NM. Subsequently, when both aircraft were on the runway, the horizontal separation between them was 0.9 NM. According to provision 4.5.10.1.1 of the Air Traffic Regulations, the minimum separation should have been at least the length of the runway in use, i.e., 3,200 m (1.7 NM). Therefore, the separation between the aircraft on the runway was approximately 53% short of the statutory minimum.
...
As established in Royal Decree 1180/2018, which implements the common rules of the air and operational provisions regarding services and procedures in air navigation, in the operational scenario in this incident, which involves aircraft landing with traffic at the holding point and aircraft on take-off with traffic on final, a single language must be used. In this particular case, English was mandatory because there was a non-Spanish-speaking pilot on the frequency.
Therefore, the LCL controller failed to comply with the provisions of Royal Decree 1180/2018 by using the Spanish language with the aircraft on approach and the English language with the aircraft on take-off, which did not favour the situational awareness of the traffic on take-off.
Aircraft Registration Data
Incident Facts
Date of incident
Oct 23, 2020
Classification
Incident
Airline
Ryanair
Flight number
FR-2334
Departure
Malaga, Spain
Destination
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Aircraft Registration
EI-EBC
Aircraft Type
Boeing 737-800
ICAO Type Designator
B738
This article is published under license from Avherald.com. © of text by Avherald.com.
Article source
You can read 1 more free article without a subscription.
Subscribe now and continue reading without any limits!
Read unlimited articles and receive our daily update briefing. Gain better insights into what is happening in commercial aviation safety.
Send tip
Support AeroInside by sending a small tip amount.
Related articles
Fleet type match
Ryanair B738 and Jet2.com B738 at Malaga on Sep 17th 2014, loss of separation on runway and near collision after go around
A Ryanair Boeing 737-800, registration EI-EBC performing flight FR-2446 from Leeds,EN (UK) to Malaga,SP (Spain) with 167 passengers and 6 crew, was…
Fleet type match
Ryanair B738 near Amsterdam on May 11th 2026, medical situation, cockpit secured, first officer responsive
A Ryanair Boeing 737-800, registration EI-EKM performing flight FR-7665 from Warsaw (Poland) to Leeds,EN (UK), was enroute at FL380 about 130nm…
Fleet type match
Ryanair B738 at Palma Mallorca on May 2nd 2026, smoke indication
A Ryanair Boeing 737-800, registration EI-DYA performing flight FR-2051 from Madrid,SP to Palma Mallorca,SP (Spain), was descending towards Palma…
Fleet type match
Ryanair B738 at Brussels on Apr 10th 2026, flaps problem
A Ryanair Boeing 737-800, registration EI-GXK performing flight FR-4523 from Milan Bergamo (Italy) to Brussels Charleroi (Belgium) with 189 people on…
Fleet type match
Ryanair B738 at Bucharest and Berlin on Apr 8th 2026, tyre damage on departure
A Ryanair Boeing 737-800, registration EI-DWR performing flight FR-315 from Bucharest Otopeni (Romania) to Berlin (Germany) with 164 people on board,…
Fleet type match
Ryanair B38M near London on Apr 24th 2025, fuel leak
A Ryanair Boeing 737-8 MAX, registration EI-HEZ performing flight FR-2899 from Venice (Italy) to Manchester,EN (UK) with 191 passengers and 6 crew,…
Newest articles
Fleet type match
Transavia B738 at Amsterdam on May 20th 2026, engine problem
A Transavia Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration PH-HSK performing flight HV-6675 from Amsterdam (Netherlands) to Tenerife South,CI (Spain), was…
Fleet type match
Condor A320 at Berlin on May 17th 2026, bird strike into both engines
A Condor Airbus A320-200, registration D-AICI performing flight DE-4095 from Frankfurt/Main to Berlin (Germany), was on final approach to Berlin's…
Subscribe today
Are you researching aviation incidents? Get access to AeroInside Insights, unlimited read access and receive the daily newsletter.
Pick your plan and subscribePartner
ELITE Simulation Solutions is a leading global provider of Flight Simulation Training Devices, IFR training software as well as flight controls and related services. Find out more.
SafetyScan Pro provides streamlined access to thousands of aviation accident reports. Tailored for your safety management efforts. Book your demo today
AeroInside Blog
Popular aircraft
Airbus A320Boeing 737-800
Boeing 737-800 MAX
Popular airlines
American AirlinesUnited
Delta
Air Canada
Lufthansa
British Airways