A pair of runway incursion incidents at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport are under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. On June 3, a Boeing 737 was cleared into position on Runway 6L at the same time an Embraer E-145 had been cleared for takeoff from the same runway. On June 26, another Embraer 145 was cleared to cross a runway on which a de Havilland Dash 8 had been cleared for takeoff. In both instances, the pilots of one of the aircraft recognized the unsafe condition and averted a collision. Noting that the controller in the June 3 incident was a trainee with minimal experience, a representative of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association told CNN, “He’s brand new. He’s going to make mistakes.” A spokesman for the air traffic controllers’ union noted that of 59 controllers on staff at Cleveland, 27 are trainees. The spokesman said, rather, there ought to be three experienced controllers for each trainee.
Two Runway Incursions Last Month at CLE
