(Trinidad Express) Both pilots of the Caribbean Airlines (CAL) flight which almost collided with a JetBlue plane at John F Kennedy (JFK) International Airport in New York on Saturday night have been taken off flying duties, pending the outcome of an investigation.
This was confirmed by director of the Trinidad and Tobago Civil Aviation Authority (TTCAA) Ramesh Lutchmedial in a news release yesterday.
Lutchmedial did not say whether the pilots are on suspension.
He noted, though, that safety inspectors of the TTCAA are expected to meet with Federal Aviation Administration Air Traffic Control (ATC) officials at JFK Airport today to determine the facts surrounding the incident.
“Caribbean Airlines Ltd is fully co-operating with the investigators,” Lutchmedial added.
The JetBlue passenger flight 1295, which was bound for Texas, was forced to abort its take-off after BW526 shot across the runway in front its path.
Reports have stated the CAL flight BW526 (a Boeing 737) had landed on runway 22L of JFK at 10.27 p.m. following a flight from Cheddi Jagan International Airport in Guyana.
Its pilots were instructed by air traffic controllers to “hold short” or stop before the parallel runway (22R) on which JetBlue 1295 was about to gain speed for take-off.
According to a transcript of the (ATC) instructions, the CAL pilots were warned on three occasions to stop.
At 10.30 p.m., the final warning was given: “Caribbean 526, hold short…526 STOP!”
The CAL pilots never responded and as a result JetBlue1295 was immediately told to abort take-off to avoid collision.
It was able to stop 2,800 feet or just over half-mile short of BW526.
There were no injuries to passengers and both planes were not damaged.
The Jet Blue plane, an Airbus A320, returned to the gate and took off for Austin, Texas, three hours late.
ABC News reported yesterday that the CAL pilots were on the wrong frequency and never heard the tower instructions and repeated calls from the tower to stop.
The Express tried to confirm this information with CAL officials but this proved futile. All calls to the cellphone of the airline’s chairman Phillip Marshall went unanswered, while the communications department did not entertain questions.
In a news release yesterday, the airline said it was taking the alleged incident very seriously.
“We are in the process of investigating and compiling the facts surrounding this allegation in co-operation with all regulator agencies.
“In the interim, Caribbean Airlines is complying with all incident management procedures included within its Safety Management System and adjunct regulations.”
Transcript of ATC instructions
22:25
Tower: “Caribbean 526…clear to land.”
22:26
Tower: “Caribbean 526 right (via) Juliett, hold short (runway) 22R. Remain this frequency.”
BWA 526: “..to the right (Caribbean) 526.”
Tower : – gave crossing clearance for runway 22R to an Aeromexico flight taxiing ahead of the Caribbean 737 –
AMX : – readback of crossing clearance –
Tower: – gave further taxi instructions after crossing 22R to Aeromexico crew –
22:27
Tower: – take-off clearance for Emirates 206 (B777) on runway 25R –
Tower: “JetBlue 1295 caution wake turbulence, line-up and wait runway 22R.”
JBU 1295: – readback –
22:28
Tower: – gave crossing clearance of runway 22R to Virgin America flight 56 –
22:29
Tower: – gave landing clearance to a United Airlines crew for runway 22L –
Tower: …”JetBlue 1295 wind 240 at 8 runway 22R shortened cleared for take-off.”
JBU 1295: “Cleared for take-off JetBlue 1295 short.”
Tower: – gave instructions to a VFR lighttype –
22:30
Tower: Caribbean 526 hold short…526 STOP!”
Tower: JetBlue 1295 abort take-off.”
Tower: Caribbean 526 (repeat).”
– no reply from Caribbean 526 –
Source: Jet Airliner Crash Data Evaluation Centre (JACDEC), Germany
