GoJet CRJ7 at Chicago on Feb 17th 2015, runway incursion, departing aircraft takes evasive action

Last Update: April 15, 2020 / 23:12:10 GMT/Zulu time

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Photo of GoJet Airlines N154GJ, Canadair CRJ-700 — GoJet Airlines N154GJ, Canadair CRJ-700 (Photo credit: redlegsfan21 / Flickr / License: CC by-sa)

Incident Facts

Date of incident
Feb 17, 2015

Classification
Incident

Cause
Runway incursion

Airline
GoJet Airlines

Flight number
G7-3710

Departure
Chicago O'Hare, United States

Destination
Toronto, Canada

Aircraft Registration
N154GJ

Aircraft Type
Canadair CRJ-700

ICAO Type Designator
CRJ7

A GoJet Airlines Canadair CRJ-700, registration N154GJ performing flight G7-3710 from Chicago O'Hare,IL (USA) to Toronto,ON (Canada), was taxiing for departure and had been cleared to taxi to taxi to holding point EE runway 28R via taxiway F and N. While taxiing ground control reminded the crew to reset their transponder to the correct squawk and contact tower. The crew missed the left turn from taxiway F onto N and continued straight, did not notice the Wig Wag lights due to the distraction and went past the hold short line.

An Envoy Embraer ERJ-145 registration N698CB performing flight MQ-3084 from Chicago O'Hare,IL to Columbus,OH (USA), had been cleared for takeoff from runway 28R intersection EE and was accelerating through 56 KIAS about 1000 feet short of intersection runway 28R/taxiway F when the ASDE-X system triggered now recognizing MQ-3084 as departing and showing G7-3710 40 feet short of the hold short line F runway 28R at 11 knots. Tower had basically no reaction time to cancel the takeoff clearance.

The Embraer continued takeoff and spotted the Canadair entering the runway while accelerating through 100 KIAS. The flight crew maneouvered their aircraft off the center line to the left to avoid a collision.

The crew of the Gojet, believing they were now joining taxiway N, began to turn left onto runway 28R when they saw the oncoming Embraer and turned to present the lowest possible profile to the Embraer. The crew observed the nose gear of the Embraer lifting off the ground and estimated, that the wingtip to wingtip clearance, when the aircraft passed each other, had reduced to 15-20 feet.

The ASDE-X system was no longer able to resolve the minimum separation distance (accuracy +/- 20 feet).

The Embraer departed without further incident and landed safely at their destination Columbus.

The Gojet Canadair vacated runway 28R via taxiway F, turned onto P and followed taxiway GG to taxiway N and stopped there short of taxiway Y. The captain discussed the occurrence with dispatch and tower supervisor as well as the first officer, then elected to continue the flight. The aircraft also departed without further incident and landed safely in Toronto.

On Jul 7th 2017 the NTSB released their preliminary report rating the occurrence an incident and reporting the 113 occupants on board of both aircraft remained uninjured, the related docket was also open at that time.

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

The flight crew's failure to manage cockpit tasks during taxi resulting in a loss of situation awareness and subsequently taxiing past a required turn point and onto an active runway without clearance. Contributing to the runway incursion was the ground controllers ineffective monitoring to ensure issued taxi instructions were followed.