Spirit A321 at Fort Lauderdale on Jan 29th 2016, rejected takeoff on ATC instruction due to vehicle on runway

Last Update: April 15, 2020 / 23:21:59 GMT/Zulu time

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Incident Facts

Date of incident
Jan 29, 2016

Classification
Incident

Cause
Rejected takeoff

Airline
Spirit Airlines

Flight number
NK-371

Departure
Fort Lauderdale, United States

Destination
Aguadilla, Puerto Rico

Aircraft Registration
N587NK

Aircraft Type
Airbus A321

ICAO Type Designator
A321

A Spirit Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration N587NK performing flight NK-371 from Fort Lauderdale,FL (USA) to Aguadilla (Puerto Rico), had been cleared for takeoff from Fort Lauderdale's runway 10 and was accelerating for takeoff, when tower cancelled the takeoff clearance due to a vehicle on the runway. The crew rejected takeoff and brought the aircraft to a safe stop.

On Jun 2nd 2017 the NTSB reported an airport maintenance truck had been on the runway near taxiway D. The tower controller received an ASDE-X alert warning of the conflict and cancelled the takeoff clearance. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The occurrence was rated an incident and is being investigated by the NTSB.

The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for about 6.5 hours before returning to service.

On Apr 15th 2020 the NTSB released their final report concluding the probable causes of the incident were:

The air traffic controller's failure to ensure the runway surface area was clear of vehicles before clearing an aircraft for takeoff. Also causal was the flight crew's decision to initiate a takeoff while the Runway Status Lights (RWSL) Takeoff Hold Lights (THLs) were activated. Contributing to the incident was the lack of a standard procedure for vehicle operators to request runway clearances and resultant "hear back/read back" error between the vehicle operator and the air traffic controller.

The NTSB summarized the sequence of events:

The runway incursion occurred during the early morning hours when traffic was light, and when the airport authority usually conducted maintenance activities on the airfield. The air traffic controller approved a request by an airport maintenance vehicle to operate on the runway; however, there were no standard operating procedures or standard phraseology regarding how airfield vehicle operators were to reference the specific runway end when requesting permission to enter a runway. This lack of standard procedure resulted in four hear back/read back errors between the operator of the vehicle and the air traffic controller immediately prior to the runway incursion event.

After the airport vehicle had been approved by the air traffic controller to operate on the runway, the crew of the A321 requested a clearance to taxi to the same runway for departure and was subsequently cleared for takeoff. The airport runways and taxiways were equipped with the Runway Status Light (RWSL) system. As the crew of the A321 aligned with the runway centerline for departure, the Takeoff Hold Lights (THL) portion of the RWSL activated, displaying red lights on the runway surface. The crew continued the takeoff over the illuminated RWSL system. The RWSL system was operating correctly and the THL portion of the system deactivated when the A321 reached a predetermined speed consistent with an aircraft continuing departure.

As the A321 was departing, the Airport Surface Detection Equipment Model X (ASDE-X) alerted and the air traffic controller responded by cancelling the takeoff clearance when the A321 was near takeoff speed. The A321 stopped on the runway about 500 feet from the airport vehicle.
Aircraft Registration Data
Registration mark
N587NK
Country of Registration
United States
Date of Registration
Qc giceAddcfjjipf Subscribe to unlock
TCDS Ident. No.
Dhhld Subscribe to unlock
Manufacturer
AIRBUS
Aircraft Model / Type
A321-231
Number of Seats
Lnh Subscribe to unlock
ICAO Aircraft Type
A321
Year of Manufacture
EdAg Subscribe to unlock
Serial Number
Kbcb Subscribe to unlock
Aircraft Address / Mode S Code (HEX)
IqAlcj Subscribe to unlock
Engine Count
N Subscribe to unlock
Engine Manufacturer
Fil Subscribe to unlock
Engine Model
Acjqllmi Subscribe to unlock
Engine Type
DlcpqAg i Subscribe to unlock
Pounds of Thrust
McAn Subscribe to unlock
Main Owner
Emqblnqi ike jedfbgjnk khfAkgbgnqgjjbhhfbpq jejbgincpqnfkkplnbdghbfq ijk Subscribe to unlock
Incident Facts

Date of incident
Jan 29, 2016

Classification
Incident

Cause
Rejected takeoff

Airline
Spirit Airlines

Flight number
NK-371

Departure
Fort Lauderdale, United States

Destination
Aguadilla, Puerto Rico

Aircraft Registration
N587NK

Aircraft Type
Airbus A321

ICAO Type Designator
A321

This article is published under license from Avherald.com. © of text by Avherald.com.
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