A320 / P28A, Seville Spain, 2022

A320 / P28A, Seville Spain, 2022

Summary

On 6 October 2022, a solo student pilot departing Seville in a PA28 was instructed to hold short of the active runway but, without the controller noticing, entered the runway. An Airbus A320 already cleared to land then called that there was a light aircraft on the runway. After initially just repeating the clearance, the controller then saw the incursion. The context for the conflict was assessed as the controller’s use of English for PA28 communications and Spanish for A320 communications and the absence of any requirement to activate controllable stop bars in visual daylight conditions.

Description

On 6 October 2022, a Piper PA28 (EC-MBV) operated by Flight Training Europe (FTE) and used by a student pilot for a solo training flight from Seville to Jerez as AY 164A lined up without clearance in day visual conditions (VMC) on an active runway. An Airbus A320 (EC-MAO) on a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Tenerife North to Seville as VLG4SK had already been cleared to land. The controller remained unaware of the incursion, and the A320 crew, having observed "something on the runway," self-initiated a go-around and subsequently landed after the PA28 had taxied clear of the runway.

Investigation

An investigation was carried out by the Spanish Commission for the Investigation of Accidents and Incidents (CIAIAC), using the flight data recorder (FDR) from the A320 and surveillance radar data for the airport and recorded ATC communications with both aircraft.

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