Summary
- A Japan Airlines Boeing 787-8 overshot the taxiway, causing a go-around by Delta Air Lines A220-300.
- Each flights eventually landed at their destinations safely.
- After the incident, Japanese officials visited JAL and examined safety management system.
A Delta Air Lines Airbus A220-300 was forced to initiate a go-around after a Japan Airlines (JAL) Boeing 787-8 overran the taxiway stop line in San Diego, California, the US, prompting Japanese officials to go to JAL’s operational headquarters in Tokyo, Japan.
Overshooting the stop line
The incident occurred on February 6, 2024, when a Japan Airlines Boeing 787-8, registered as JA836J, was taxiing for departure from San Diego International Airport (SAN). The aircraft, scheduled to operate flight JL65, was carrying passengers back to Japan, namely Tokyo Narita International Airport (NRT). Meanwhile, the Delta Air Lines Airbus A220-300, registered as N301DU, was operating flight DL2287 from Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to SAN.
Photo: Abdul N Quraishi – Abs | Shutterstock
In accordance with live air traffic control (ATC) audio provided by LiveATC, the bottom controller on the airport informed flight JL65 about its taxi path to the runway for departure at around 12:11 local time (UTC -8). A minute later, the bottom controller told the JAL pilots to carry position repeatedly, later adding that the Boeing 787-8 was not authorized to be on the runway, instructing the pilots to taxi away from the runway using taxiway Bravo (B).
Flightradar24 logs showed that the 787-8 left the runway and was stationary for a substantial period of time for the reason that flight, which was originally scheduled to depart at 11:40, left SAN at 13:14. It arrived at NRT at 17:19 on February 7.
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Initiating a go-around
The flight tracking site’s data showed that the JAL aircraft was stationary for around 50 minutes off the runway, near the designated general aviation parking area on taxiway J. When the bottom controller inquired whether there was any confusion about their taxiing instruction, the Japan Airlines pilots responded negatively, apologizing for his or her mistake.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Easy Flying
Meanwhile, the Delta Air Lines Airbus A220-300 reached a minimum altitude of 750 feet (228.6 meters) on their initial approach at 12:12, immediately climbing to five,175 ft (1,577 m) to circle across the airport. The aircraft landed at SAN at 12:29, 11 minutes before its scheduled arrival time, even when it needed to initiate a go-around as a result of the accidental runway incursion.
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Ministerial visit at JAL
The Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported that following the incident, officials from the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) visited JAL’s headquarters at Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND).
The visit happened on February 13, with the officials examining the airline’s safety management system (SMS). NHK added that the pilot admitted to the error, with them saying that they thought they were purported to turn further ahead.
A Japan Airlines Airbus A350-900, registered as JA13XJ, was involved in one other incursion at HND when a Japanese Coast Guard Dash-8-300 mistakenly entered the runway on January 2. Then, the 2 aircraft collided on the bottom, leading to five fatalities on the Coast Guard aircraft.
Photo: KITTIKUN YOKSAP | Shutterstock
Miraculously, all 379 people onboard the A350-900, including 12 crew members, evacuated the burning aircraft. In its latest update in regards to the incident on February 2, Japan Airlines said that the explanation for the accident continues to be under investigation.
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