Fedex B763 and Southwest B737 at Austin on Feb 4th 2023, loss of separation on runway resolved by go around
Last Update: November 30, 2023 / 13:09:06 GMT/Zulu time
Incident Facts
Date of incident
Feb 4, 2023
Classification
Incident
Airline
Fedex
Flight number
FX-1432
Departure
Memphis, United States
Destination
Austin, United States
Aircraft Registration
N297FE
Aircraft Type
Boeing 767-300
ICAO Type Designator
B763
Airport ICAO Code
KAUS
About 4 minutes after the 767 was cleared to land a Soutwest Airlines Boeing 737-700, registration N7827A performing flight WN-708 from Austin,TX (USA) to Cancun (Mexico), reported holding short of runway 18L for departure and was cleared for takeoff from runway 18L, tower advised a heavy Boeing 767 was on a 3 mile final. Tower queried about 30 seconds later whether they were on the roll, the crew confirmed they were rolling now. Another 25 seconds later someone advised "Southwest abort, the Fedex was on the go (around)". Tower acknowledged and instructed the 737 to turn right when able. However, the 737 continued takeoff, after liftoff went off the extended runway center line to the right, climbed out, subsequently tower instructed them to turn left and handed them off to departure.
The 767 initiated a go around from about 150 feet AGL about 1000 feet short of the runway threshold, climbed to 3000 feet MSL overflying the runway, turned for a left downwind, positioned for another approach and landed on runway 18L without further incident about 11 minutes after the go around.
The NTSB announced: "The NTSB is investigating a surface event at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Saturday, a possible runway incursion and overflight involving airplanes from Southwest Airlines and FedEx."
On Mar 3rd 2023 the NTSB released their preliminary report stating: "The AUS ATCT ATM reported an overflight appeared to have occurred; however, the closest proximity has not yet been determined."
The NTSB summarized the sequence of events:
The Austin Airport Air Traffic Control Tower (AUS ATCT) Air Traffic Manager (ATM) stated at the time of the incident, there was an extremely low traffic volume and complexity at AUS. The weather at the time of the incident was low instrument flight rules with the following conditions being reported: wind calm, visibility 1/4 mile in freezing fog, vertical visibility 200 ft above ground level, and a temperature minus 1 degree Celsius.
A review of Federal Aviation Administration air traffic control (ATC) audio recordings indicated that at about 0634, the pilots of FDX1432 established communication with the local controller and reported their flight was inbound and established on a CAT III instrument landing system (ILS) approach to runway 18L. The controller provided the pilots with the runway visual range (RVR) values and cleared them to land. The pilots acknowledged this information.
At 0638:49, the first officer (FO) of SWA708 checked in with the local controller and indicated they were holding short of runway 18L and were ready for takeoff. The controller provided them with RVR values, advised them that a FedEx 767 was on a three-mile final (FDX1432), and issued them a standard takeoff clearance from runway 18L. The FO of SWA708 acknowledged the clearance with a correct readback. SWA708 proceeded to taxi onto runway 18L and lined up with the runway centerline and came to a complete stop at which point, control of the aircraft was transferred from the captain to the FO. The FO indicated that he advanced the power, checked the engines, and then released the brakes to begin their takeoff roll.
At 0639:32, the pilots of FDX1432 queried the local controller to confirm that they were cleared to land on runway 18L. According to the captain of FDX1432, he asked for confirmation because he was concerned about the Southwest traffic. The controller confirmed FDX1432 was cleared to land and advised them of traffic (SWA708) departing runway 18L ahead of him.
At 0640:12, with FDX1432 on an approximate 0.7-mile final, the local controller queried SWA708 to confirm they were on the roll, to which the captain of SWA708 replied “rolling now.” According to the captain of FDX1432, he noted that at an altitude of about 150 feet, the FO called go-around after visually seeing SWA708 at approximately 1,000 feet to 1,500 feet from the approach end of the runway. At 0640:34 one of the FDX1432 crew broadcasted “Southwest abort” and then at 0640:37 broadcasted that “FedEx is on the go.” According to the SWA708 pilot narratives, the captain noted that somewhere between the speeds of 80 KIAS and V1, he and the first officer heard FedEx call for a go-around.
A review of preliminary Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data revealed that when FDX1432 was at the departure end of the runway climbing out of 1,900 feet, the controller instructed FDX1432 to turn left heading 080 and maintain 3,000 feet. At the same time, SWA708 was about 1,000 ft lower than FDX1432 and began a right turn away from the runway heading.
On Nov 30th 2023 the NTSB released their investigation docket still not mentioning the minimum separation between the aircraft. However, it appears from the ADS-B data, the 767 overflew the 737 at a height of about 100 feet. According to the report by the chairman of the operational factors group the 767 was already closer than 0.7nm to the runway threshold descending through about 150 feet radar altitude when the first officer spotted the 737 and called for a go around, a go around was promptly initiated, the first officer attempted to call the Southwest to abort their takeoff, the Southwest crew heard the Fedex crew announcing their go around when they were accelerating between 80 knots and V1.
Metars:
KAUS 041453Z 15003KT 1/8SM R36R/0800FT FG VV002 04/04 A3041 RMK AO2 SLP304 T00390039 58004=
KAUS 041353Z 00000KT 1/8SM R36R/0800V1000FT FG VV002 01/01 A3044 RMK AO2 SLP314 T00060006=
KAUS 041341Z 00000KT 1/8SM R36R/1000V1200FT FG VV002 01/01 A3043 RMK AO2 T00060006=
KAUS 041323Z 00000KT 1/8SM R36R/1000FT FZFG VV002 00/00 A3043 RMK AO2 T00000000=
KAUS 041253Z 00000KT 1/8SM R36R/1800V2400FT FZFG VV002 M01/M01 A3043 RMK AO2 SLP309 T10061006=
KAUS 041247Z 00000KT 1/8SM R36R/1800V2400FT FZFG VV002 M01/M01 A3043 RMK AO2=
KAUS 041218Z 00000KT 1/4SM R36R/1800V2400FT FZFG VV002 M01/M01 A3043 RMK AO2 T10061006=
KAUS 041200Z 00000KT 1/4SM R36R/1800V2400FT FZFG SCT002 M01/M01 A3042 RMK AO2 T10061006=
KAUS 041153Z 00000KT 1/4SM R36R/1800V2400FT FG SCT002 02/M01 A3043 RMK AO2 SLP309 T00171011 10028 21022 56011=
KAUS 041133Z 00000KT 1/4SM R36R/1800V2400FT FG SCT002 02/M01 A3043 RMK AO2 T00171006=
KAUS 041053Z 00000KT 1/2SM R36R/1800V2400FT FG SCT002 02/M01 A3043 RMK AO2 SLP308 T00221006=
KAUS 041008Z 00000KT 3/4SM R36R/1800V2400FT BR SCT002 02/M01 A3044 RMK AO2 T00221006=
KAUS 040953Z 00000KT 3/4SM R36R/1200V1800FT BR SCT002 02/M01 A3044 RMK AO2 SLP314 T00221006=
Aircraft Registration Data
Incident Facts
Date of incident
Feb 4, 2023
Classification
Incident
Airline
Fedex
Flight number
FX-1432
Departure
Memphis, United States
Destination
Austin, United States
Aircraft Registration
N297FE
Aircraft Type
Boeing 767-300
ICAO Type Designator
B763
Airport ICAO Code
KAUS
This article is published under license from Avherald.com. © of text by Avherald.com.
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