Royal Maroc B738 at Marrakesh on Oct 5th 2023, runway incursion forces Ryanair climb over them

Last Update: October 21, 2023 / 17:41:11 GMT/Zulu time

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Photo of Royal Air Maroc CN-RGH, Boeing 737-800 — Royal Air Maroc CN-RGH, Boeing 737-800 (Photo credit: FlugZüge / Flickr / License: CC by-sa)

Incident Facts

Date of incident
Oct 5, 2023

Classification
Incident

Airline
Royal Air Maroc

Flight number
AT-740

Departure
Marrakesh, Morocco

Destination
Paris Orly, France

Aircraft Registration
CN-RGH

Aircraft Type
Boeing 737-800

ICAO Type Designator
B738

Airport
Menara Airport, Marrakech

Airport ICAO Code
GMMX

A Royal Air Maroc Boeing 737-800, registration CN-RGH performing flight AT-740 from Marrakesh (Morocco) to Paris Orly (France), was taxiing for departure from Marrakesh's runway 28 but crossed the hold short line on taxiway C1 without clearance at about 16:36L (15:36Z). The aircraft only stopped on the runway edge.

At that very time a Ryanair Boeing 737-800, registration EI-EVA performing flight FR-1350 from Marrakesh (Morocco) to Nimes (France), was accelerating on Marrakesh's runway 10, cleared for takeoff. The aircraft climbed over CN-RGH out to safety and continued to Nimes without further incident.

CN-RGH departed runway 28 about 5 minutes later.

A listener on frequency reported a lot of screaming by the Moroccan crew could be heard on frequency with tower calming them stating that everything was recorded.

ADS-B data suggest the Ryanair rotated about 650 meters/2150 feet before the intersection with taxiway C1 and crossed the intersection at a height of about 170 feet AGL.

On Oct 21st 2023 The Aviation Herald received an ATC audio recording making clear, that after clearing the Ryanair for takeoff from runway 10 tower issued departure instructions in English from runway 28 to AT-740, however, no clearance to line up or takeoff. The crew subsequently read back their departure clearance in English but added they were cleared to line up and takeoff. In the first readback tower did not get that readback and queried the crew, who read back they were cleared to line up and take off a second time, at which point tower instructed to hold position, the crew acknowledged and held position, however, within the protected area of the runway and according to ADS-B already on the runway edge. Subsequently a discussion in French between tower and AT-740 arose in which tower made clear that the Air Maroc had not been cleared for line up or takeoff but had only received their departure instructions.

Metars:
GMMX 051700Z 26006KT 230V300 9999 FEW033 BKN200 35/06 Q1018 NOSIG=
GMMX 051630Z 26007KT 230V310 9999 FEW033 BKN200 35/06 Q1018 NOSIG=
GMMX 051600Z 27009KT 220V300 9999 FEW033 BKN200 35/06 Q1018 NOSIG=
GMMX 051530Z 29009KT 260V340 9999 FEW033 BKN200 36/05 Q1018 NOSIG=
GMMX 051500Z 27010KT 240V300 9999 FEW033 BKN200 35/04 Q1019 NOSIG=
GMMX 051430Z 31007KT 270V340 9999 FEW033 BKN200 34/04 Q1019 NOSIG=
GMMX 051400Z 30008KT 260V330 9999 FEW033 BKN200 34/04 Q1019 NOSIG=
GMMX 051330Z 30007KT 250V010 9999 FEW033 BKN200 35/04 Q1019 NOSIG=
GMMX 051300Z 29006KT 240V360 9999 FEW033 BKN200 35/07 Q1019 NOSIG=
GMMX 051230Z 28005KT 230V360 9999 FEW033 BKN200 34/09 Q1020 NOSIG=