[article] 757 reports near miss with lawnmower

Bluetonic

757 reports near miss with lawnmower

By Sarah Stack, Press Association

Tuesday, 30 June 2009

A plane carrying almost 200 passengers had a close shave with a tractor lawnmower as it landed on a foggy night, it was disclosed today.
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The driver of the sit-on mower did not even notice the Boeing 757 until its wing passed over his head as he cut grass near runways at Dublin Airport.

Air accident investigators have launched a probe in to the near miss, which happened shortly before 3am on 29 May.

The aircraft, which had flown from Sharm-el-Sheikh in Egypt, had 198 passengers and eight crew on board.

No-one was injured.

The flight, chartered on behalf of Thomson Airways, had just touched down when crew reported the ground equipment at the edge of the runway lights.

The Irish Department of Transport's Air Accident Investigation Unit found the small ride-on grass mower had been moving along the runway a number of metres inside the edge lighting.

"The mower had no rear lighting or flashing beacon and it was not equipped with any airband radio equipment capable of listening out on the control tower frequency," said the report.

"The driver of the mower was unaware that an aircraft was landing and he did not see the aircraft before it passed his vehicle.

"It is probable that the starboard wing of the Boeing 757 passed over the ride-on mower during the landing roll."

Several ride-on mowers had been cutting grass on the side of runways until work had been stopped six minutes early due to fog.

Air traffic controllers were not aware the unsuspecting workman was almost in the path of the oncoming jet when they gave the all-clear for landing.

In a preliminary report, investigators recommended Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) should ensure all vehicles operating close to active runways have flashing lights, airband VHF radios linked to ground control and tower frequencies and were fitted with equipment to be detected on the ground.

The DAA told the investigation it had already implemented the interim safety recommendation.

The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) said its Advanced Surface Movements Guidance and Control System (ASMGCS) was currently being commissioned in Dublin and was expected to be fully operational by September.

A recording of the ASMGCS images from the event, which was still under test, showed a ride-on mower moving along the runway.

"The test recording also shows... the potential conflict between the landing aircraft and the ride-on mower," the report added.

A final report will be published when a full investigation is complete.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/757-reports-near-miss-with-lawnmower-1725588.html

Run_to_da_hills

Nearly as bad as a crocodile "causing" a helicopter crash in Darwin last week, Someone in DAA maintenance will get their ass kicked.

highlydebased

"close shave"....lol

Was C-GTBB, operated by Skyservice for TOM/FCA every summer, including this one.

Ivona Tinkle

2009 has got to be the year of the plane accidents, it's scary you hear something nearly every week now about accidents

useless

the bit that gets me is that the guy on the mower wasn't aware of the plane until it passed over him.... I'd have thought a landing 757 would be big and noisy enough for him to notice and scuttle out of the way...
but what do I know:)

Foggy43

The cutter operator should have been wearing ear protection and the noise from the machine preventing him or her hearing an approaching aircraft. Also the 757 engines would have been at idle. I do not know the regulations at DUB but there could be a thrust reverse ban at those hours, making it even quieter.

Run_to_da_hills

The DAA should let rabbits and hares to take care of the grass cutting at Dublin airport that way there is no risk to anyone.

lord lucan

Ivona Tinkle wrote: »

2009 has got to be the year of the plane accidents, it's scary you hear something nearly every week now about accidents

It's been a strange year alright although the likes of this story would never make the news normally,it's just that the media are hooked on airline incidents since "the miracle on the hudson" and more recently AF447.

Sully

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

The DAA should let rabbits and hares to take care of the grass cutting at Dublin airport that way there is no risk to anyone.

What about the rabbits and hares?!

Run_to_da_hills

Sully wrote: »

What about the rabbits and hares?!

They are wise enough to keep out of harms way unlike the airport Gardner. I have already seen heaps of hares around Dublin and Shannon airport runways.

DonJose

"He was not wearing a visibility jacket."

If work in a building site you are required to wear a visibility jacket. What are the chances of that idiot getting suspended.

Run_to_da_hills

DonJose wrote: »

"He was not wearing a visibility jacket."

If work in a building site you are required to wear a visibility jacket. What are the chances of that idiot getting suspended.

He obviously did not attend a Fas Safe Pass Course or at least pay attention in class.

FOGOFUNK

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

The DAA should let rabbits and hares to take care of the grass cutting at Dublin airport that way there is no risk to anyone.

Dont know what an engine would look like after ingesting a hare.

Tenger

DonJose wrote: »

"He was not wearing a visibility jacket."

If work in a building site you are required to wear a visibility jacket.

All airport staff are very aware of the need to wear hi-viz jackets.....its a essential part of my uniform. To not wear one is astoundingly stupid. While I can see how he may not have been aware of the inbound aircraft, to be that close to an active runway without a hi-viz or beacon on the vehicle is unbelievable.

Deacon Blues

DonJose wrote: »

"He was not wearing a visibility jacket."

Where does it say he wasn't wearing a visibility jacket ??????????

EchoIndia

This is really about the management of activities on the airfield and especially within the runway flight strip. High-viz jackets are neither here nor there. Procedures should be such that there is no chance of a vehicle being within a runway or taxiway area where aircraft movements are taking place. This was a potentially very serious accident. In the past, aircraft have been destroyed with many fatalities in collisions with equipment on the ground. The recommendations made are sound but the measures proposed in relation to radio equipment should surely already have been in place at a busy airport like DUB.

pclancy

Yep. You shouldnt be anywhere near a runway without contact with tower or at least ground. Never. Some serious procedural change is needed, that should never have happened.

Radios arent that expensive.