NTSB ISSUES UPDATE ON NEAR COLLISION ON ALLENTOWN RUNWAY

[NTSB Press Releases <NTSBPressReleases@xxxxxxxx>]

Title: NTSB ISSUES UPDATE ON NEAR COLLISION ON ALLENTOWN RUNWAY

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                       NTSB ADVISORY
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National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594

November 19, 2008

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NTSB ISSUES UPDATE ON NEAR COLLISION ON ALLENTOWN RUNWAY

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In its continuing investigation of a runway incursion in
Allentown, Pennsylvania, involving a general aviation
aircraft and a Chicago-bound regional jet airliner, the
National Transportation Safety Board has developed the
following factual information:

On September 19, 2008, at 7:38 p.m. EDT, a runway incursion
resulted in a near-collision on runway 6 at the Lehigh
Valley International Airport, Allentown, Pennsylvania.  Mesa
Air Shuttle flight 7138, a Canadair CRJ-700 (N506MJ) aborted
takeoff at about 120 knots (138 mph), skidding around a
Cessna R172K (N736GV) that had just landed and was still
taxiing on the runway.  The crew of the Mesa Air regional
jet estimated the distance between the two aircraft as 10
feet when they passed. 

The Mesa Air flight carried 56 passengers and a crew of
four; the Cessna carried a pilot and two passengers.  There
was no damage to either aircraft and no reported injuries. 
The incident occurred in night meteorological conditions.

A timeline of the incident events is as follows:

7:29:28 - Cessna contacts Allentown tower while about 8
miles east of the airport.

7:33:30 - Cessna, in landing pattern for runway, is cleared
to land on runway 6.

7:34:50 - Mesa Air regional jet contacts tower and reports
ready for takeoff and holding short of runway 6.  Controller
instructs pilot to hold short of runway 6 for landing
traffic.

7:36:15 - Cessna crosses threshold of runway 6 and lands.

7:36:27 - Mesa Air instructed by tower controller to taxi
into position on runway 6 and hold.

7:36:36 - Tower controller asks pilot of Cessna where he
intends to park. Following pilot response, controller
provides taxi directions, instructing pilot to exit runway
at taxiway A4.

7:37:11 - Mesa Air cleared for takeoff.

7:37:18 to 7:37:32 - Controller turns attention to an
inbound aircraft and issues landing instructions.

7:37:34 - Cessna pilot informs tower controller that he had
missed the A4 taxiway and asks for permission to exit at
taxiway B.

7:37:42 - Controller replies, "...no delay, turn immediately,"
which Cessna pilot acknowledges.

7:38:16 - Mesa Air radios tower controller: "We got it,
tower - we're going to need to go back to the gate."

Following the incident, both aircraft taxied to parking. 
The Mesa Air crew elected to cancel the flight and have the
aircraft inspected.  The Cessna taxied to general aviation
parking and concluded the flight.

Safety Board investigators have interviewed the pilots
involved in the incident, and the air traffic controllers on
duty at the time of the incident as well as the FAA tower
managers.

The tire marks created by the Mesa Air regional jet as it
veered around the Cessna can be seen on the left side of the
centerline in the image at
http://www.ntsb.gov/Pressrel/2008/images/Allentown.jpg

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NTSB Media Contact:  Peter Knudson
(202) 314-6100
peter.knudson@xxxxxxxx

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