SYDNEY, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- A near-collision between two aircraft at Sydney Airport in July has been assessed at the most serious level on the international scale, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said on Wednesday.
The ATSB on Wednesday released preliminary reports on four out of six aircraft coordination and conflict incidents it is investigating at Sydney Airport in July and August.
It said that the first of the four incidents, on July 27, involving a Qantas Boeing 737-800 with 154 people on board and a QantasLink Bombardier DHC-8-400 with 55 people on board, was assessed as a Category A runway incursion.
ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said it was the first such incident assessed at the most serious level at Sydney Airport and only the third such incident in Australia since 2003.
The report said that a breakdown of coordination led an air traffic controller to clear the Boeing 737 to cross a runway while the Bombardier was in its landing roll.
It said that the aircraft were about 120 meters apart when they both came to a stop.
The report said that the air traffic controller had a high predicted fatigue risk level at the time.
The preliminary reports did not make findings or recommendations relating to any of the incidents, but Mitchell said that staff resourcing within Sydney Tower has emerged as a recurring area of inquiry.
Air traffic control staff shortages at Sydney Airport caused hundreds of flights in and out of Sydney to be delayed on consecutive days in early August. ■
