Alert Pilot Said He Would Not Cross Active Runway

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating two runway incursions that occurred at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) in Cleveland, Ohio.

The most recent occurred at 0856 EDT on Friday, June 26. Express Jet flight 2426, an E-145, was cleared by the tower developmental controller to cross runway 24L at taxiway S in order to depart from runway 24R. Approximately 19 seconds later, the same controller cleared CommutAir flight 8717, a DH8, for takeoff on runway 24L.

The Express Jet flight crew saw the departing airplane and advised the tower controller they would not cross the runway. CommutAir 8717 rotated about 1,500 feet from where Express Jet 2426 was positioned.

The incident is the second of its kind at CLE in three weeks. On June 3, at 1515 EDT, a runway incursion occurred in which a B-737 was cleared by a developmental controller to taxi into position the same runway on which an E-145 was cleared and entering for take-off. The E-145 crew saw the B737 and queried the tower controller. The two flights came within 500 feet of each other on runway 6L.

The same developmental controller was involved in the both incidents.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov