Final Report B738 (B-5156), Kansai Japan, 20 July 2023
Final Report B738 (B-5156), Kansai Japan, 20 July 2023
On 20 July 2023, a Boeing 737-800 was given a night landing clearance at Kansai with the controller unaware a runway inspection in the landing direction was in progress. When the vehicle driver heard this clearance, they identified the approaching aircraft position and estimated their inspection could be completed without impeding the inbound aircraft but on checking, were instructed to exit the runway at once and did so. Minimum aircraft/vehicle separation was 3,480 metres. The immediate cause of the potential conflict was controller error when various ground movement activities were occurring towards the end of an otherwise quiet night shift.
