SCMP full article on runway incursion
The full SCMP article on the runway incursion:
EDT
EDT2 South China Morning Post Simon Parry
2010-01-28Cathay jet in take-off scare at Chek Lap Kok
A Cathay Pacific plane with 243 passengers on board was forced to abort take-off from Chek Lap Kok when another passenger plane took a wrong turn and almost strayed into its path.
The Cathay Pacific Boeing 777 was heading down the runway at 40 knots after being given clearance to take off, when an air traffic controller noticed a Hong Kong Airlines jet heading into the far end of the runway and told the captain to abort.
However, a spokesman for the Civil Aviation Department said there had been no risk of a crash.
The incident on January 13 occurred when the Hong Kong Airlines Boeing 737, taxiing towards a runway for a flight to Hangzhou , missed a turn for a taxiway and ended up on a high-speed exit off the southern runway. The Civil Aviation Department spokesman said it was investigating and had received reports from both airlines.
He said Hong Kong Airlines flight 128 stopped at red ground lights marking the edge of the runway exit and the runway itself. "There was no risk of collision," he said.
The alarm was raised by the air traffic controller at about 8.20pm as the Hong Kong Airlines plane lost its way and moved towards the path of the Cathay plane, which had begun its take-off roll.
The spokesman said: "The air traffic controller had just cleared {hellip} Cathay Pacific CX 468, for take-off on the south runway." With uncertainty over the Hong Kong Airlines plane, the controller gave instructions to the departing Boeing 777 to abandon the take-off.
A spokeswoman for Cathay Pacific said the Taipei-bound flight had been cleared for take-off before air traffic controllers cancelled the clearance. The flight eventually took off after a delay of about 20 minutes.
"The [Cathay Pacific] aircraft was moving along the runway at low speed - 40 knots - and the safety of passengers on board and the aircraft itself was at no time at stake."
Hong Kong Airlines spokeswoman Francisca Chu confirmed in a written response that an internal investigation was under way. She declined to say if the pilot and co-pilot involved in the incident had been suspended. She added: "Flight safety is always of prime concern to Hong Kong Airlines {hellip} we have received no comments from the Civil Aviation Department regarding operational safety, and our air operator's certificate has been renewed just recently." The runway incursion is the second major incident involving Hong Kong Airlines pilots losing their way at Chek Lap Kok. In September 2008, the carrier suspended a pilot and his co-pilot and later sacked them after they tried to take off from a taxiway rather than a runway.