Jetblue A320 at Las Vegas on Apr 26th 2012, near collision with biz jet
Last Update: March 14, 2013 / 14:52:10 GMT/Zulu time
Incident Facts
Date of incident
Apr 26, 2012
Classification
Report
Cause
Near collision
Airline
Jetblue
Flight number
B6-483
Departure
Boston, United States
Destination
Las Vegas, United States
Aircraft Registration
N547JB
Aircraft Type
Airbus A320
ICAO Type Designator
A320
A private Lear Jet was departing Las Vegas' runway 19L at that time.
The NTSB released a brief factual report stating, that the minimum separation between the two aircraft reduced to 100 feet vertically and 0.3nm horizontally near the intersecting point of the extended runway 25L and 19L centerlines. The Jetblue A320 flew an evasive left turn while the crew of the Lear Jet initiated a rapid climb to resolve the conflict.
The aircraft had been under control of two different local tower controllers.
On Mar 14th 2013 the NTSB released their final report concluding the probable cause of the incident was:
Federal Aviation Administration procedures that do not ensure separation in the event of a go-around during simultaneous independent runway operations on runways that do not physically intersect but whose flight paths intersect.
According to the final report of the chairman of the ATC group, published in the NTSB public docket, the controller in charge at the time, who had jumped in without relief briefing when the actual controller in charge left the room for about two minutes, provided testimony, that local controller 1 shouted "Go-Around", which was common practise in the tower to alert other controllers of the go-around. He checked the radar screens and saw Jetblue 483 going around and a Learjet XA-RAV climbing out of runway 19L. Local controllers 1 controlling B6-483 and 2 controlling XA-RAV instructed their aircraft to maintain visual separation, XA-RAV initiated a very steep climb. He did not intervene. When the actual controller in charge returned, he briefed him of the go-around.
The actual controller in charge is quoted to have provided testimony: "The fact that JBU483 was a late go around added a degree of difficulty and created a “perfect storm.” He added that most aircraft go around on or before the runway threshold, although some go around at 5 miles out because of issues such as flap misconfigurations."
The controllers were aware of the "hot spot" where go-arounds on runway 25L and traffic on runway 19L/R would conflict and were discussing, which controller (1 or 2) "owned" the intersection, however, he "did not know how to fix the hot spot problem. Nothing specific had been brought up before, other than that it was a problem area or a potential problem and should be watched; no specific mitigation programs were in effect."
Controller 1 said, JBU483 appeared to do a standard approach and landing, when they called they were "on the go", she looked up from the flight strips, looked at the aircraft, the assistant called the Jetblue should go high and the Lear should go low, however the Learjet had initiated a steep climb that she described as climbing like a F15 fighter jet. She issued a visual separation to the Jetblue and had them turn left. Go-Arounds were not uncommon and were normally easily manageable by ATC, however, this had become the closest she had ever seen, go-arounds that late were uncommon. Had the Jetblue gone around earlier, there would have been no problem. The chairman wrote: "She did not think the runway configuration between runways 19L/R and runway 25L/R was a safety issue."
The ATC group chairman stated after summarizing controller's 2 testimony: "He stated that if there were a virtual intersection on runway 25L to assist controllers with alternating aircraft through the departure end flight path intersection it would increase complexity and coordination, and decrease efficiency."
The ATC chairman further wrote that the Jetblue crew had initiated the go-around due to a wind gust.
The operations manager of Las Vegas' ATC facilities indicated: "indicated that someone somewhere had decided this type of situation (simultaneous independent runway operations) was an acceptable risk."
Incident Facts
Date of incident
Apr 26, 2012
Classification
Report
Cause
Near collision
Airline
Jetblue
Flight number
B6-483
Departure
Boston, United States
Destination
Las Vegas, United States
Aircraft Registration
N547JB
Aircraft Type
Airbus A320
ICAO Type Designator
A320
This article is published under license from Avherald.com. © of text by Avherald.com.
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