Ben-Gurion Airport. Another accident prevented
צילום: אמנון טרבלסי
Double error nearly causes accident at airport
Shortly after taking off, Bulgarian plane makes sharp turn to the right, enters another aircraft's landing route. Froward air controller instructs pilot to turn back, but latter repeats mistake
A double error performed by the pilot of a Bulgarian airplane leaving Ben-Gurion Airport earlier this week nearly caused an accident involving another aircraft approaching Israel for landing.
The airport control tower's interference prevented a possible collision between the two planes. The circumstances of the incident are still being investigated.
The Bulgarian plane, which had some 150 passengers and crew members on board, took off from Runway 26, heading west. Instead of proceeding to the route passing over Holon, the pilot made a sharp turn to the right.
At the same time, another aircraft carrying some 200 passengers was preparing to land on Runway 12. The Bulgarian plane's turn to the right led to a dangerous proximity between the two aircraft.
"This time it was really close," an airport source said of the incident, which took place Sunday.
"The forward air controller spotted the Bulgarian pilot's error almost immediately, and instructed him to stop turning to the right," said Udi Baroz, the Israel Airports Authority's deputy director-general for operation.
But the dangerous situation did not end here. Shortly after correcting his mistake, the Bulgarian pilot repeated the same error for an unknown reason. According to Baroz, "The forward air controller instructed the pilot to turn back, and the planes drew away from each other."
The IAA has launched an investigation into the incident, and the Bulgarian pilot is likely to be summoned to a hearing in Israel.
"This incident took place under serious circumstances. We have no explanation at this time for the double error," said an IAA source.
