A serious aviation incident was narrowly avoided at one of America's busiest airports when air traffic controllers mistakenly cleared a commercial aircraft to cross an active runway while another jet was beginning its takeoff roll, according to a new safety report.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed that the potentially catastrophic event occurred at Denver International Airport on February 21st, involving a Canada Air Jazz CRJ-200 and a Boeing 737-900 operated by United Airlines.
How the Runway Near-Miss Unfolded
According to the preliminary investigation, the United Airlines Boeing 737 had been cleared for takeoff on Runway 35L and was accelerating down the runway when controllers simultaneously authorised the Canada Air Jazz aircraft to cross that same runway.
The NTSB report states that the United jet had already reached approximately 30 knots and was committed to takeoff when the conflicting clearance was issued. The Canada Air Jazz aircraft had begun crossing the runway but managed to clear the area before the United jet reached its position.
Controller Response and Safety Systems
Alarmingly, the safety board noted that the air traffic controller working the local position did not immediately recognise the dangerous conflict. The situation was only identified when another controller on the ground control position noticed the developing hazard and urgently instructed the Canada Air Jazz crew to "hold position."
The report highlights that the airport's surface detection equipment, designed to warn controllers of potential runway conflicts, did not activate during this incident. This failure of safety systems has raised additional concerns among aviation experts.
Ongoing Investigation and Industry Response
The NTSB has classified this event as a "runway incursion" and continues to investigate the circumstances that led to the dangerous error. Aviation safety experts have expressed concern about the increasing frequency of such incidents at major airports worldwide.
This near-miss follows several other high-profile runway incidents in recent months, putting increased scrutiny on air traffic control procedures and staffing levels across the United States aviation network.
The Federal Aviation Administration has acknowledged the incident and stated that additional training and safety protocols are being reviewed to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
