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“We are OK, but something went terribly wrong”: pilots realised just in time that they were wrong during a “very exceptional” incident at Brussels Airport

Nieuwsblad

Zaventem: All 165 passengers on a flight to Copenhagen were evacuated Thursday evening after an incident at Brussels Airport. The pilot mistakenly took the taxiway instead of the runway and reached a speed of over 200 kilometers per hour before the plane could come to a stop – just in time. "This could have had disastrous consequences," says aviation expert Luk De Wilde.

• The incident occurred on Thursday evening around 10 p.m.
• Flight SK2590, an SAS flight from Brussels to Copenhagen, was scheduled to depart from Brussels Airport with a 1.5-hour delay .
• There were 165 passengers on board.
• Pilots mistakenly took taxiway instead of runway .
• The error was only noticed when the aircraft had already reached a speed of over 200 kilometres per hour .
• The plane came to a stop just in time , near some kerosene tanks.
• An investigation has been launched.

"The takeoff of a Scandinavian Airlines plane was interrupted," said Brussels Airport spokeswoman Ariane Goossens. "The plane had started its takeoff from the taxiway instead of the runway. The taxiway is only used to move aircraft between the terminal and the runway."

The plane was scheduled to take off for Copenhagen at 8:30 PM, but instead departed from the Netherlands with an hour and a half delay, heading for the Danish capital. At 10:04 PM, during takeoff, things went wrong.

The aircraft was already reaching a speed of over 200 kilometers per hour on the taxiway. Fortunately, the crew was able to bring the Airbus A320neo to a safe and timely stop. The aircraft eventually came to a stop just a stone's throw from the airport's kerosene tanks, which are highly flammable.

“Very exceptional”

How could this have happened? "That's a mystery to me too, because this is extremely unusual," says aviation expert Luk De Wilde. "This happens a maximum of 25 to 30 times a year, worldwide. Everything points to a mistake by both pilots, the captain and the co-pilot. This could have had very disastrous consequences."

On each flight, two pilots fly "separately." "It's agreed in advance who flies and who monitors," says De Wilde. "One actually flies and operates the controls, while the other maintains contact with air traffic control and follows the maps and flight paths. That neither of them noticed they were on the taxiway, not the runway, is truly remarkable and exceptional."

We are OK

According to the specialized website Flightlevel.be, Thursday evening's radio traffic shows that the pilots themselves noticed their mistake just in time. About 40 seconds after receiving takeoff clearance and immediately after aborting takeoff, the crew told the air traffic controller: "We are OK, but something went very wrong." In other words: "We are OK, but something went very wrong," after which the pilot added that they had no indication of a fire in the plane.

Little used runway

According to De Wilde, the fact that the plane was already delayed and only had a short "window" for departure, as suggested online by people claiming to have been on the plane, should not influence the decisions made in the cockpit. "However, the runway where it happened isn't used very often. '25 Right' is usually used for takeoff, but in recent days and weeks, it's been '07 Right' more often, due to the easterly wind. An aircraft must always depart into the wind. Were the pilots unfamiliar with this runway and therefore made a mistake? Given the delay, did time pressure also play a role? The investigation will now have to determine that. My estimate is that both pilots will be suspended during the investigation. Neither of them will be allowed back in the cockpit tomorrow or next week. This is a serious incident."

Investigation started

The Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU), an independent body of the Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGLV), has launched an investigation into the incident, the FPS Mobility confirmed to our editors.

"How the incident could have happened is currently being investigated as part of an official safety investigation," says Thomas De Spiegelaere, spokesperson for the Federal Public Service Mobility. "The goal of this investigation is to formulate safety recommendations that should contribute to improving aviation safety and preventing similar incidents in the future. The investigation is not aimed at determining administrative, civil, or criminal liabilities."

To arrive at the necessary recommendations, the AAIU collects and analyzes all relevant data, such as radar images, audio recordings, technical and meteorological information, and witness statements. "Afterward, the agency publishes a final report with conclusions on the causes and contributing factors of the incident. This report and any safety recommendations are then provided to the operator, the DGLV, and other relevant authorities."

The Federal Public Service Mobility cannot provide any further information at this time, given the ongoing investigation. Air traffic controller Skeyes has also launched an investigation to determine the true cause of the incident.

“This must not happen again”

Kurt Ryon, mayor of Steenokkerzeel, expects "a serious investigation." "We want to be kept informed of the outcome. We don't want to cause panic, but this can't happen again. Our hamlet of Humelgem is an extension of that taxiway... I've never heard or experienced this before. Pilots tell me they don't understand it, precisely because, especially in the dark, you can clearly see the difference between a taxiway and a runway."

Point of no return

By the time the error was noticed, the plane had already reached a speed of 200 to 205 kilometers per hour. "Once a plane reaches 'V1,' it has to take off. That's the point of no return," says De Wilde. "Usually, that V1 is around 270 to 280 kilometers per hour. In this case, it would have taken a maximum of 3 to 4 seconds to reach that speed. Then the plane would have had to take off, although I think the taxiway is a bit too short for that. In that case, the plane would probably have veered into the shoulder or crashed into an obstacle. If they had become airborne, I don't think there would have been any obstacles left. It's not like they would have collided with another plane in that case."

There are several fuel tanks near the taxiway, full of kerosene to supply the aircraft. The plane came to a stop near these tanks. "But fortunately, those fuel tanks aren't in line with the taxiway. The plane would have had to swerve to avoid hitting them."

Psychological assistance

To be on the safe side, the airport fire department was immediately dispatched, and all 165 passengers were evacuated. "The federal police also arrived on the scene, including to provide psychological support," said Ariane Goossens of Brussels Airport overnight. "There were no injuries."

The incident had no impact on airport operations. "There were no consequences for other scheduled flights, and there will be no consequences for Friday morning either," the spokeswoman said. Only the flight to Copenhagen was canceled.

Pilots' Association: "Don't speculate about possible causes"

The Belgian Cockpit Association (BeCA) calls the incident "serious" and "understands that this event can be shocking," but also urges "not to speculate on the possible causes." "A technical investigation has been launched, and we are convinced that its conclusions will help prevent a similar incident from occurring in the future," BeCA said.

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