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This is a relatively unknown incident inasmuch as no aircraft damage or injuries occurred, but the potential of a serious ground collision existed, but was fortunately avoided. The aircraft was bound from Malta to London, where eventually it was cleared for an unusual approach to Runway 26R, which neither pilot had ever landed on at night. Runway 26R is in a complex of peculiar and difficult to understand lights, and the adjacent Taxiway 2 is easily mistaken for the runway. In fact there was an earlier runway incursion on Taxiway 2 in 1988 involving a BAC-111 attempting to land on Runway 8L.
The runway lighting at Gatwick is only one of the threats that pilots deal with on a daily basis. This report sheds copious amounts of light on some of the critical sources of runway incursions: poor airport design, lighting, and markings. Unfortunately, these problems are far from isolated, and although many problem areas are well documented (Cleveland, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Chicago-O'Hare are especially notorious in the US) barring an accident relatively little is done about these structural problems seemingly due largely to monetary and political considerations.
For any researcher of runway incursion accidents, this report is of great value. I highly recommend it to air safety personnel everywhere.
This is a relatively unknown incident inasmuch as no aircraft damage or injuries occurred, but the potential of a serious ground collision existed, but was fortunately avoided. The aircraft was bound from Malta to London, where eventually it was cleared for an unusual approach to Runway 26R, which neither pilot had ever landed on at night. Runway 26R is in a complex of peculiar and difficult to understand lights, and the adjacent Taxiway 2 is easily mistaken for the runway. In fact there was an earlier runway incursion on Taxiway 2 in 1988 involving a BAC-111 attempting to land on Runway 8L.
The runway lighting at Gatwick is only one of the threats that pilots deal with on a daily basis. This report sheds copious amounts of light on some of the critical sources of runway incursions: poor airport design, lighting, and markings. Unfortunately, these problems are far from isolated, and although many problem areas are well documented (Cleveland, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Chicago-O'Hare are especially notorious in the US) barring an accident relatively little is done about these structural problems seemingly due largely to monetary and political considerations.
For any researcher of runway incursion accidents, this report is of great value. I highly recommend it to air safety personnel everywhere.
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