Description

On 12 October 2014, a Boeing 767-300 (ET-AMG) being operated by Ethiopian Airlines on a scheduled international passenger flight from Addis Ababa to Dar es Salaam as ET805 was approaching V1 for a normal visibility daylight take-off when the crew saw an obstruction ahead in the middle of the runway and immediately rejected the take-off, stopping about 100 metres before reaching a white vehicle. The aircraft taxied clear of the runway but then had to be towed in because of blown tyres due to the high energy rejected take-off.

Investigation

An Investigation was carried out by the Ethiopian CAA Accident Investigation Bureau. It was noted that at the time of the conflict, aerodrome ATC was being provided by two controllers, one on GND frequency and one on the TWR frequency and that the 3,800 metre-long 45 metre wide principal runway 07R/25L was in use in the 07R direction. There was no ATC Supervisor present in the Tower as it was a Sunday and "supervisor coverage was not available during weekends". It was noted that whilst the TWR controller must give explicit permission for any vehicle or other access to the active runway, such an approval would normally be given by GND and there was no requirement for the person granted such access to communicate with the TWR or listen out on that frequency.