Incident · 2016-01-29
What the record says
- Event date
- 2016-01-29
- Event type
- Incident
- Highest injury level
- No injuries
- Aircraft
- AIRBUS A321 231 (N587NK)
- Operating rule
- Part 121
- Operator
- SPIRIT AIRLINES, LLC Operator named in NTSB report
- Operated by (per NTSB report)
- Spirit Airlines
Probable cause
The air traffic controller's failure to ensure the runway surface area was clear of vehicles before clearing an aircraft for takeoff. Also causal was the flight crew's decision to initiate a takeoff while the Runway Status Lights (RWSL) Takeoff Hold Lights (THLs) were activated. Contributing to the incident was the lack of a standard procedure for vehicle operators to request runway clearances and resultant "hear back/read back" error between the vehicle operator and the air traffic controller.
Source: NTSB case OPS16IA004Flight crew
No flight-crew details recorded in the NTSB accident database for this event.
Facts as the NTSB records them — GroundCheck adds no judgement. Preliminary records may be revised as the investigation proceeds.