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🇦🇺 Australia /Crime & Justice

Third Sydney Airport runway incident under investigation

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Context piece
  • Aviation safety authorities are investigating a third runway incident at Sydney Airport involving a Qantas and a Virgin Australia aircraft.
  • The incident occurred when a Virgin Australia flight preparing for take-off observed a Qantas flight crossing the runway ahead of it.
  • Air traffic control cancelled the Virgin Australia flight's take-off clearance, and the Qantas flight reported receiving clearance to cross the runway.

Aviation safety authorities are probing a third runway incident at Sydney Airport after a Qantas flight crossed the path of a departing Virgin Australia aircraft.

At around 10am local time, air traffic control (ATC) cleared the Virgin Australia 737 for a full-length take-off on runway 34L.

— ATSBDescribing the sequence of events leading up to the incident.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) confirmed the Sunday morning incident involved Virgin Australia Flight VA555 to Perth and Qantas Flight QF728 bound for Ayers Rock.

As the crew applied thrust for take-off, they observed the Qantas 737 begin to cross the runway ahead of them from taxiway lima.

— ATSBDetailing the moment the Virgin Australia crew noticed the Qantas aircraft.

Air traffic control had cleared the Virgin Australia Boeing 737 for take-off on runway 34L. As the crew applied thrust, they saw the Qantas 737 begin crossing the runway ahead of them from taxiway lima. The Qantas crew stated they had received clearance from air traffic control to cross.

The Qantas crew reported having received a clearance from ATC to cross the runway.

— ATSBStating the Qantas flight's reported clearance.

The Virgin Australia crew reduced thrust, bringing the aircraft to a stop on the runway. Air traffic controllers cancelled the take-off clearance simultaneously as the crew spotted the crossing Qantas aircraft. After the Qantas 737 cleared the runway, the Virgin Australia flight was re-cleared for take-off.

The Virgin Australia crew reduced thrust and the aircraft came to a stop on the runway.

— ATSBExplaining the immediate reaction of the Virgin Australia flight crew.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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