B738, Amsterdam Netherlands, 2019

B738, Amsterdam Netherlands, 2019

Summary

On 6 September 2019, a Boeing 737-800 began a night takeoff at Amsterdam on a parallel taxiway instead of the runway. A high speed rejected takeoff followed only on ATC instructions. The locally based and experienced crew lost situational awareness and failed to distinguish taxiway from runway lighting or recognise that the taxiway used was only half the width of the nearby runway. It was concluded that an airport commitment to prioritise mitigation of the taxiway takeoff risk based on recommendations made after a previous such event had not led to any action after pushback collisions became a higher priority.

Description

On 6 September 2019, a Boeing 737-800 (PH-HSJ) being operated by KLM subsidiary Transavia on a scheduled international passenger flight from Amsterdam to Chania and cleared to takeoff from runway 18C in normal night visibility actually began doing so on the parallel taxiway and did not commence what was a high speed rejected take off until told to by the controller. The crew then decided they should try again and this subsequent takeoff as cleared was normal. 

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