Plane landing on Toronto Pearson runway forced to abort due to distracted maintenance driver: report
Posted December 20, 2023 12:04 pm.
Last Updated December 20, 2023 3:20 pm.
An investigation has revealed that an incoming plane at Toronto Pearson International Airport was forced to abort its landing due to a distracted maintenance driver on the runway.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) released its findings on Wednesday.
The report details the Oct. 15, 2022, incident when the driver of a maintenance vehicle operated by the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) crossed the displaced threshold of an active runway at Pearson airport.
The TSB claims the driver had been instructed to hold short of the runway. At the time, an Air Canada Boeing 737 was on final approach for the runway.
The air traffic controller stationed at the window of the control tower observed the incident, and the TSB said they instructed the aircraft crew to go around and try for another landing. The aircraft landed uneventfully following a second attempt. No injuries were reported.
GTAA maintenance driver was distracted: TSB
The report states that through the investigation, the TSB determined that the driver’s attention was “split between his driving duties and the planning of the upcoming tasks that he would be supervising.”
“As a result, he was paying less attention to monitoring the route for hazards,” a TSB spokesperson wrote.
GTAA spokesperson Sean Davidson tells CityNews that safety is their top priority, noting officials take all incidents very seriously.
“Runway incursions are extremely rare at Toronto Pearson, and we work hard to make sure everyone stays safe on our airfield,” Davidson said. “We are committed to learning from situations like this and will review the report in detail and continue to work with the TSB.”
According to the TSB’s findings, although contrary to the GTAA’s Airport Traffic Directives, maintenance drivers typically used the airport manoeuvring areas as opposed to the North Service Road because these areas are “perceived to be quicker given typical runway operations on the east/west runways.”
“Given the driver’s split attention, the visual cues that were available to designate the holding position were not salient enough to alter his mental model and stop him from entering the runway.”
The TSB is an independent agency that investigates air, marine, pipeline, and rail transportation occurrences.
