NTSB Advisory
National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594
July 15, 2008

NTSB INVESTIGATING TWO RECENT RUNWAY INCURSIONS AT TETERBORO AIRPORT

Washington, DC -- The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating two runway incursions that occurred at Teterboro Airport, Teterboro, New Jersey within two weeks of each other.  NTSB Air Traffic Control Investigator Daniel Bartlett has been designated Investigator-in-charge for bothincidents.   

* On June 25, 2008, at 5:34 a.m. (EDT), a runway incursion occurred at Teterboro Airport, Teterboro, New Jersey.  A Learjet 45, Windrider flight 988, landed on a closed runway.        

Runway 1/19 had been closed by airport operations at 5:05a.m.  A lighted X, indicating that the runway was closed, was placed at the departure end of the runway. Additionally, the controller placed two runway incursion devices, which are memory aides to remind the tower controller of the closure, at the local control position. However, the controller did not notify the approach control facility, New York Terminal Radar Approach Control, of the runway closure. 

Twenty-seven minutes after the closing of the runway, the approach controller called the tower controller to request a visual approach to runway 19 for flight 988. The tower controller approved the request.  The airplane flew over two employees who were working north of the displaced threshold of runway 19 and landed on the runway. 

The automatic terminal information service information "H" did not include the closed runway.

* On July 9, 2008, at 10:10 a.m. (EDT), a Cessna 172 (N316AS) and, a Dessault Falcon 200 (N277QS) were also involved in a runway incursion at Teterboro Airport.

The Cessna landed on runway 19 and requested a back taxi to the approach end of runway 19 for departure.  The ground controller instructed the pilot to taxi to runway 19 via taxiway L and to hold short of runway 19. However, the pilot was not instructed to hold short of runway 24, which intersected runway 19. 

The airplane had crossed the hold line for runway 24 but not over the runway edge when the tower controller cleared the Falcon for takeoff on runway 24.  The tower cancelled the Falcon's clearance once it was determined that the Cessna was across the runway hold line.  The FAA reported the two airplanes were 1,200 feet apart.

The incident occurred during the day shift with a front line manager and two air traffic control specialists on position.   

The preliminary reports are on the Board's web site.

NTSB Media Contact:  Terry N. Williams (202)-314-6100
williat@ntsb.gov

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