Plane crashes saved by air-traffic controller

[galaxy]

A JetBlue plane with 91 passengers aboard would have crashed into another plane had it not been for the quick-thinking of a veteran air-traffic controller at Boston' s Logan International Airport.
Flight 1264 had just landed at the airport from Houston, the night before Thanksgiving, on November 24, and was taxiing to the terminal when it took a left instead of right turning.
Unbeknown to the pilot, the plane was heading towards the flight path of another plane, which was hurtling down the runway, as it was about to take off.
But the sharp-eyed air-traffic controller spotted what was going to happen and called the JetBet to 'hold, hold right there'
Ground radar images show the plane stopping just short of the runway where the other plane was speeding to take off.
Matt McCluskey, president of the Boston air traffic controllers union, said the controller made 'a great save' and added: 'The aircraft went the wrong way on the runway and was headed on a runway with a departing aircraft.
The air-traffic controller has 32-years of experience. He is in the twilight of his career and he make a great save.
'He did a great thing and stopped that aircraft from going out on to the runway before any type of aviation disaster happened.'
A statement from JetBlue read: 'Flight 1264 from Austin to Boston (91 customers onboard) was given clearance by ATC to land on runway 33L.

'After landing on 33L, the aircraft cleared the active runway on to taxiway Q and should have turned left at 22R, but turned right onto the inactive runway, 22R and held short of runway 33L.

'At no time did the flight enter an active runway without clearance from ATC. The Captain awaited further instructions from ATC and was subsequently cleared to taxi to the gate. The processes put in place by the airline, the pilots and ATC are designed to prevent and mitigate inadvertent errors. The system worked.'

Take a look at the video below in the article :
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... oller.html

[DeltaWiskey]

:thumbup: for doing his job...

[ATCO ACC]

Am I wrong or is the company trying to minimize this event ??

[Homo Aeroportus]

Hey, wait a minute.

JetBlue 1264 had landed on 33L and vacated via TWY Quebec (and so had crossed RWY 22L).

Transcript for the video :
when JB1264 is on TWY Mike.

ATCO : Hey JB 1264, what's your gate tonight?
Pilot : C33
ATCO : Hey JB 1264 taxi via 22 right and Charlie into the ramp.
Pilot : 22 right charlie to the ramp thanks.

JB1264 turns right onto RWY 22R.

Now OK. TWY Charlie is on their left and they turned right but wasn't the guidance somewhat misleading?

The ATCO had probably all the reasons not to let JB1264 cross the RWY and continue straight onto Quebec (C33 is right smack in front of them), nor use the new TWY Mike down to Charlie, BUT :
Why communicating "taxi via two two right..." ?
This instruction implies a turn (to the left) but simultaneously contains an information (the runway identifier) that may be understood as a direction.
This is VERY misleading.

To start with, why saying "22R" while the 22 head is on their right and the ATCO wants them to go left (towards the 04L head).

Actually, adding the "right" is of very little use here. There is no need to distinguish between 22L and 22R since they had already crossed 22L and were right (!) in front of 22R.

Methinks the ATCO could have been clearer saying "turn LEFT onto (runway) 04-22 then (left) onto Charlie towards the ramp.

The crew had it wrong, no doubt, but the phraseology was somewhat ambiguous.

Am I right or have I lost you and you left ?


H.A.

[Nevihta]

Actually, adding the "right" is of very little use here. There is no need to distinguish between 22L and 22R since they had already crossed 22L and were right (!) in front of 22R.

Methinks the ATCO could have been clearer saying "turn LEFT onto (runway) 04-22 then (left) onto Charlie towards the ramp..

The phraseology might be ambiguous, but there's no runway 22, there's a 22 Right and a 22 Left (maybe a 22 Center I don't know this airfield).