Description

On 23 November 2002, an AIRBUS A-319, landing on Rwy16 at Zurich Switzerland, narrowly missed collision with a B737 cleared for take off on an intersecting runway.

Synopsis

The following is an extract from the official Swiss BFU report into the event:

"During the approach on the runway 14 instrument landing system (ILS) the [A319] asked the aerodrome controller (ADC) about the possibility of a swing-over to runway 16. At this time the aircraft was at a distance of approximately 3.1 nm from the threshold of runway 14. The competent aerodrome controller gave clearance for this to the [A319], indicating that an aircraft was on take off roll on runway 28. Seventeen seconds after the clearance for the swing-over, [the A319] also received landing clearance for runway 16.

At the moment of issuing landing clearance to [the A319] the ADC was already involved for several minutes in an extensive dialogue with a previously under instrument flight rules (IFR) departed Cessna 172. These time-consuming radio communications were necessary because the Cessna’s transponder was not functioning.