Two planes in 'serious' near miss in Dublin as one illegally enters runway
Stock photo: PA
Two passenger planes carrying a total of 235 passengers and crew came within 144ft of a potentially disastrous crash - after one was taxiing on an 'active' runway.
A Germanwings Airbus with 125 people on board was about to land at Dublin Airport when the pilots spotted another plane on the runway.
A Turkish Airlines plane carrying 99 passengers and six crew had failed to adhere to air traffic control instructions and entered an active runway without permission while taxiing for take-off.
It had been cleared to get ready to fly, but had been told to stay clear of the active runway. The pilot told investigators he was distracted by 'heads-in' tasks in the cockpit and didn't 'correctly interpret signage for the holding position', according to the Irish Times.
The two planes came within 144ft of each, before the Germanwings pilot performed a 'go around', climbing back up to 3,000ft, before coming back to land safely.
After the Air Accident Investigation Unit described it as a 'serious incident', the Irish Aviation Authorit advised Turkish Airlines to update its procedures so pilots always have an external lookout during taxiing, and that crew carry out a verbal check when entering a runway.
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