Collision on runway narrowly missed

File photo / Rotorua Daily Post

When an aviation security officer drove a vehicle on to the active runway at Dunedin International Airport at night in heavy rain ahead of a landing aircraft, the consequences could have been disastrous.

A collision was narrowly avoided because the vehicle driver kept to the shoulder of the runway and stopped soon after entering the runway.

The incident happened on May 25 this year and was the subject of an aviation occurrence report by the Transport Accident Investigation Commission.

In its executive summary of the incident, the commission said the driver had intended to use the runway as a means of conducting an airfield perimeter fence check because heavy rain had flooded parts of the dirt perimeter road and the grassed areas from which such checks were normally accomplished.

When he drove on the runway, the driver was unaware that a Metroliner with a crew of two had just landed.

"Likewise, the pilots were unaware that a patrol vehicle had entered the runway after they landed, and they would have been in no position to take avoiding action to prevent a collision had the vehicle been driven in front of their aeroplane," the summary said.

The commission did not make any recommendations as a result of its inquiry.

It said the main issues that led to the incident were a lack of awareness by aviation security officers of the significance of the runway lights being on, and inadequate local procedures for aviation security officers to access the runway safely outside the hours of service of air traffic control.

Actions taken by the Aviation Security Service since the incident to improve the training of staff and procedures should help prevent a recurrence.

- NZPA