A serious close call between two Qantas passenger aircraft at Sydney Airport’s primary runway has prompted an official investigation by Australia’s top transport safety watchdog, after a coordination breakdown between air traffic control teams nearly led to a catastrophic mid-ground collision last week.
The incident unfolded on July 27, when air traffic controllers granted clearance for a Qantas Boeing 737, inbound from Canberra, to cross an active runway at the busy international hub. Unbeknownst to the control team at the time, a second Qantas aircraft — a Bombardier DHC-8 carrying passengers from Queenstown, New Zealand — was already on final approach for a landing on the same runway.
Quick action from alert controllers averted disaster, however: within moments of detecting the conflicting aircraft movements, controllers alerted both flight crews, ordering the 737 to stop short of the runway while the incoming turboprop aborted its approach and completed a safe landing. No passengers or crew were injured in the incident, and neither aircraft suffered any damage.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), the national body responsible for investigating transport accidents and safety incidents, confirmed this week it has launched a full probe into the near-miss, which the agency has already preliminarily linked to a “breakdown of co-ordination” between air traffic control teams.
In an official statement posted to the ATSB’s website, investigators confirmed that “ATC detected the conflict and advised both crews, with the 737 stopping after the holding point. The investigation is continuing.”
Qantas has moved to cooperate fully with the probe, with a spokesperson for the airline noting that both flight crews operated strictly in line with the clearance and instructions issued by air traffic control. “Both Qantas aircraft were cleared to proceed following instructions from air traffic control and we will support the ATSB in the investigation,” the spokesperson said.
Airservices Australia, the government-owned agency that manages national air traffic control operations, also confirmed it would back the ATSB’s work, noting that safety remains the organization’s overarching priority. The investigation is on track to wrap up by the end of 2024, with a full public report on its findings and any recommended safety changes expected to be released after that.