A Near Disaster At San Francisco International Airport

How Air Canada Flight 759 Mistook a Taxiway for the Runway

A Near Disaster at San Francisco International Airport

Introduction

On July 7, 2017, Air Canada Flight 759, an Airbus A320-211, came dangerously close to disaster when it mistook a taxiway for the runway while attempting to land at San Francisco International Airport (SFO).

The incident highlights the importance of proper communication and situational awareness in aviation, as well as the potential consequences of human error.

The Sequence of Events

• At approximately 23:56 Pacific Daylight Time (PDT), Air Canada Flight 759 was cleared to land on Runway 28R at SFO.
• However, the pilots mistakenly lined up with Taxiway C, which runs parallel to Runway 28R.
• As the aircraft approached the taxiway, the pilots realized their mistake and attempted to abort the landing.
• The Airbus A320 dipped as low as 59 feet above the ground before the pilots were able to regain control and climb away.

Contributing Factors

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation into the incident identified several contributing factors, including:

• Poor visibility: The weather at the time of the incident was foggy, which may have made it difficult for the pilots to see clearly.
• Controller error: The air traffic controller who cleared Flight 759 to land on Runway 28R did not specifically instruct the pilots to use the parallel taxiway, which may have contributed to the confusion.
• Pilot fatigue: The pilots of Flight 759 had been on duty for over 13 hours at the time of the incident, which may have impaired their judgment.

Aftermath

No one was injured in the incident, but it could have easily been much worse.

In the wake of the incident, the NTSB made several recommendations to improve safety at SFO, including:

• Improving the lighting on Taxiway C to make it more distinguishable from Runway 28R.
• Implementing a new procedure requiring air traffic controllers to specifically instruct pilots to use the parallel taxiway when landing on Runway 28R.
• Requiring pilots to receive additional training on the risks of runway incursions.

Air Canada also implemented a number of new safety measures, including:

• Requiring pilots to use a new checklist when landing at SFO.
• Increasing the minimum visibility requirements for landing at SFO.
• Providing pilots with additional training on the risks of runway incursions.

Conclusion

The incident involving Air Canada Flight 759 is a reminder of the importance of safety in aviation.

By understanding the contributing factors to this near-disaster, we can take steps to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.

The NTSB and Air Canada have both implemented a number of new safety measures to improve the safety of landings at SFO and other airports.

These measures will help to ensure that passengers and crew members can travel safely and efficiently.