Partners and Programs:
  • BARS
  • GSIP
  • SKYbrary
  • ASN
  • Contact Us
  • Members' Center
  • Login
  • Support Aviation Safety

  • Industry Updates
  • The Foundation
    • About the Foundation
    • Founders
    • Mission
    • History
    • Leadership
    • Officers and Staff
    • Media/Communications
    • Aviation Award & Scholarship Programs
    • Work with Us
    • Join Us
  • Events
  • AeroSafety World
  • Toolkits & Resources
    • COVID-19 Crisis Resources
    • Fatigue Management
    • Flight Path Monitoring
    • Global Action Plan for the Prevention of Runway Excursions (GAPPRE)
    • Go-Around Project
    • Global Safety Assessment Project
    • Learning From All Operations
    • Past Safety Initiatives
    • Pilot Training and Competency
    • Special Reports
  • Industry Updates
  • The Foundation
    • About the Foundation
    • Founders
    • Mission
    • History
    • Leadership
    • Officers and Staff
    • Media/Communications
    • Aviation Award & Scholarship Programs
    • Work with Us
    • Join Us
  • Events
  • AeroSafety World
  • Toolkits & Resources
    • COVID-19 Crisis Resources
    • Fatigue Management
    • Flight Path Monitoring
    • Global Action Plan for the Prevention of Runway Excursions (GAPPRE)
    • Go-Around Project
    • Global Safety Assessment Project
    • Learning From All Operations
    • Past Safety Initiatives
    • Pilot Training and Competency
    • Special Reports
  • Contact Us
  • Members' Center
  • Login
  • Support Aviation Safety
Partners and Programs:
  • BARS
  • GSIP
  • SKYbrary
  • ASN

FLIGHT SAFETY FOUNDATION HEADQUARTERS

701 N. Fairfax Street, Suite 250,
Alexandria, Virginia 22314

Phone: +1 703 739 6700 Fax: +1 703 739 6708

  • Aviation Safety Experts
  • Industry Updates
  • NTSB Investigating Approaching Airliner Lining Up With Taxiway at Atlanta

News, Runway Safety (approach and landing), Accident/Incident Investigation

NTSB Investigating Approaching Airliner Lining Up With Taxiway at Atlanta

Pilots initiated go-around at decision height.

by FSF Editorial Staff | December 14, 2017

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating a Nov. 29 incident in which a Delta Air Lines Boeing 737-900ER on approach to Harstfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (KATL) was aligned with an occupied taxiway before the pilots initiated a go-around. According to incident information released Wednesday by NTSB, the 737, operating as Delta Flight 2196 from Indianapolis, did not overfly the aircraft on the taxiway during the go-around.

The inbound airplane was cleared to land, and was initially lined up, on runway 09R at KATL, but radar data indicate that within about one mile of the runway, the 737 began to deviate left of the approach course and subsequently aligned with taxiway N, NTSB said. A go-around was initiated after the airplane crossed the start of the taxiway. Daytime instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the incident, which occurred about 1106 local time.

NTSB said it was notified of the incident on Nov. 30 and interviewed the incident captain, who was the pilot monitoring, and the incident first officer, who was the pilot flying, on Dec. 4.

The incident flight crew told investigators that the airplane intercepted the glideslope clear of clouds, but that there was a cloud layer below. The first officer said that at about 300 ft above ground level (AGL) he saw that the airplane was slightly right of course, so he corrected to the left but overcorrected and the airplane deviated left of course. At the decision height of 200 ft AGL the localizer reached full-scale deflection on the instrument panel, the first officer reported.

The captain stated that he called for a go-around at the decision height because he did not have the airport environment or approach lights in sight. Both pilots said the captain called for a go-around before it was called for by air traffic control.

The flight crewmembers of the airplane on taxiway N told the NTSB that they saw the incident airplane briefly, in and out of the clouds, but that it did not overfly them nor did they recall hearing any engine noise from the plane.

Share:

Print:

Key Safety Issues

  • Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)
  • Loss of Control–In Flight (LOC-I)
  • Mechanical Issues
  • Runway Safety (approach and landing)
  • Sabotage/Intentional Acts
  • Midair Collisions (MAC)
  • Runway Safety (Conflicts)
  • Wildlife Issues
  • Fatigue
  • Cabin Safety
  • Emerging Safety Issues
    • Lithium Batteries
    • Safety Information Sharing and Protection
    • Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Related Content

Cover Story, Runway Safety

Tackling Runway Risks

Safety experts outline plans of attack to curb runway excursions and incursions.

by Frank Jackman

Runway Safety (approach and landing), Causal Factors

‘Something Was Not Right’

After near-disaster at SFO, the NTSB recommends action to aid in correctly identifying intended landing runways.

by Linda Werfelman

News, Runway Safety (approach and landing), Accident/Incident Investigation

Crew Lack of Awareness Cited in SFO Taxiway Overflight Incident

Wrong surface event “could very easily have had a catastrophic outcome,” NTSB chairman says.

by FSF Editorial Staff

Read more articles

701 N. Fairfax Street, Suite 250, Alexandria, Virginia 22314

Phone: +1 703 739 6700 Fax: +1 703 739 6708

Flight Safety Foundation on Twitter

Enhance your #runwaysafety skills with our exclusive workshop on Air Navigation Services and #Aerodrome! Join us to… https://t.co/QCK7uOI0D9

March 11, 2023

Follow @flightsafety

Projects & Partners

  • Basic Aviation Risk Standard
  • Global Safety Information Project
  • SKYbrary
  • Aviation Safety Network
  • Donate
  • Advertise on our website
  • Sponsor & Exhibit at our Events
  • Work with Us
  • Contact Us
  • Site Map
  • Privacy

© 2023 Flight Safety Foundation

Join our group on LinkedIn