The NTSB is just beginning it investigation into a June 27 near-fatal collision between a vehicle and an Envoy Airlines Embraer 145 regional jet at the Springfield-Branson National Airport in Springfield Missouri. The incident, caught on video by local airport cameras, shows an airport operations vehicle crossing Runway 14 about two seconds before the regional jet passed the same intersection during takeoff roll.
None of the 50 passengers, nor the three crewmembers aboard the jet were injured. The aircraft completed the takeoff and proceeded on course to its destination, Chicago O’Hare International Airport. Weather at the time of the near collision was VFR with good visibility.
Springfield’s KY3 TV posted a statement by the vehicle’s driver the TV station said it received from the City of Springfield. The driver said, “he and two other airport employees were headed to the employee barbecue at the firehouse and decided to cross the runways to get there faster. He said the airport ground controller gave him clearance to cross one runway, then the next. As the van was crossing that second runway, the driver says his front seat passenger yelled, and he saw the nose of the aircraft coming toward them. As he sped off the runway, the driver said he could hear the plane overhead.”
The driver then reportedly asked his passengers if they heard the ground controller clear them across the runway to which they responded yes. The report says he immediately reported the incident to the airport operations supervisor.
Because the truck was moving at high speed, a last minute call to the driver to stop before entering the runway, could likely have caused the truck to eventually stop right in the middle of the runway, which would have made matters worse.
