Description

On 27 July 2010, a Boeing 737-800 being operated by South African Airways on a scheduled passenger flight from Johannesburg to Cape Town which was on the take off roll from an intermediate runway entry point on runway 21R and a Boeing 737-400 being operated by Comair on a scheduled passenger flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg which had just landed and was crossing the same runway further down were involved, in normal day visibility conditions, in a conflict which presented a high risk of ground collision. This risk was averted by a high speed rejected take off after ATC cancelled the take off clearance. None of the respective 130 and 123 occupants were injured.

Investigation

An Investigation was carried out by the South African CAA AIID but its commencement was delayed as a result of poor process at the AAID.

It was noted that at the time of the event, the traffic situation was quiet and the weather conditions benign. The departing aircraft had been given a take off clearance whilst taxiing towards the intended intermediate runway entrance point and whilst still a significant distance from it. The arriving aircraft had just landed on the parallel runway and needed to cross the runway being used by the departing aircraft at a later intermediate point in order to reach its allocated parking gate.