Serious incident Cessna 750 Citation X N900QS,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 309978
 
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Date:Sunday 12 April 2015
Time:08:21 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic C750 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Cessna 750 Citation X
Owner/operator:
Registration: N900QS
MSN: 750-0123
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants:
Aircraft damage: None
Category:Serious incident
Location:near Miami International Airport, FL (MIA/KMIA) -   United States of America
Phase: Take off
Nature:
Departure airport:Miami International Airport, FL (MIA/KMIA)
Destination airport:Chub Cay Airport (CCZ/MYBC)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
United Parcel Service (UPS) flight 357, a Boeing 767-300, overflew N900QS, a Cessna 750 Citation holding in position on runway 8L at Miami International Airport (MIA), Florida.

The conflict was detected when the tower's airport surface detection equipment, model X (ASDE-X) alarmed. The local controller (LC) instructed UPS357 to go around and turn 10 degrees left. UPS357 was at an altitude of 200 feet and approximately ½ mile from the runway 8L threshold when the crew was told to go-around. UPS357 overflew N900QS by 475 feet. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.

This loss of required air traffic control separation resulted from the LN/LS controller issuing a landing clearance to UPS357 to a runway occupied by N900QS in position on the same runway. This resulted in UPS357 overflying N900QS by about 475 feet. Contributing to the error was the local controller's noncompliance with traffic advisory procedures, and insufficient requirements for use of memory aids to track arrival and departure operations.
When issuing a landing clearance to UPS357, the local controller did not ensure the runway was clear as required by FAA Order 7110.65, Air Traffic Control, paragraph 3-10-3, Same Runway Separation and,
the local controller did not advise UPS357 that an aircraft was in position on the landing runway as required by FAA Order 7110.65, paragraph 3-10-5c, Landing Clearance.
Contributing to this incident was the lack of required memory aids for arrivals. Miami Air Traffic Control Tower procedures required controllers to use memory aids to indicate that an aircraft had been directed to line up and wait (LUAW), when an aircraft was issued a departure clearance, and to indicate that a runway was occupied by an airport vehicle. However, flight progress strips or memory aids were not required for arrivals and arrival flight progress strips were not used. The data available via the radar presentation on the tower display workstation (TDW) was the only information used for arrival sequencing. While the LUAW memory aide is beneficial to prevent a controller from issuing a takeoff clearance for a runway that is occupied by an aircraft in LUAW position, it did not prevent the controller from issuing a landing clearance to UPS357 nine seconds after he had directed N900QS to LUAW.
There were no visual aids utilized to indicate an aircraft was on the runway to which an aircraft had also been cleared to land. According to controller interviews, the "rule of thumb" or unofficial procedure for arrivals to a runway occupied by an aircraft in position was that if the arrival reached two miles and the aircraft in position had not started departure roll, the arriving aircraft would be sent around. However, there were no visual clues or memory aids to remind the controller that an aircraft was in position on the runway except where a controller may decide to write down call-signs of arriving aircraft at the control position.

Probable Cause:
The controller's issuance of a landing clearance to an arriving aircraft while another aircraft was in position on the same runway. Contributing to the incident was the controller's non-compliance with traffic advisory procedures, and insufficient requirements for use of memory aids to track arrival and departure operations.

Sources:

NTSB OPS15IA017

Location

Revision history:

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