A landing Aeromexico Connect Embraer E190 overflew a Delta Air Lines 737 beginning its departure roll in Mexico City this week, recalling with eery similarity an incident that occurred at the same airport in 2022 and an incident in Austin in 2023.
Delta Air Lines flight 590 was scheduled to depart at 12:05 UTC (07:05 local time) from Mexico City bound for Atlanta. The flight pushed back at 13:02 and taxied to Runway 05R, entering the runway at 13:26:25. At this point Aeromexico Connect flight 1631 was on approach approximately 7 miles (11.5 km) from the airport.
The Delta flight held in position as aircraft crossed Runway 05R on the taxiway behind it and Aeromexico flight AM801, which had just landed, crossed 05R on taxiway E downfield. By the time Aeromexico 801 crossed 05R, Delta 590 had been positioned for take off for more than two minutes. At that point, Aeromexico Connect 1631 was .25 miles (.41 km) from the airport.
Mexico City’s Runway 05R has a displaced threshold of approximate 2,400 feet (720 meters), which means that the usable area for landing operations is shorter than the total length of the runway area available for departures. In practical terms, this means that aircraft departing on 05R are not lined up near the touchdown zone of the runway.
Overflight
Based on analysis of ADS-B data, the E190 passed over the 737 at an altitude above ground level of about 200 feet. This figure is based on the aircraft’s received GPS altitude at the time, and contains a margin of error based on the GPS antenna’s position on the aircraft. The actual distance between the lowest part of the Aeromexico Connect E190’s landing gear the tip of the Delta 737’s tail may be less than reported. The tail of a 737-800 is 41 feet, 2 inches tall (12.5 meters).
As the E190 passed, the 737 was beginning its take off roll. The Aeromexico Connect flight landed and exited the runway. The Delta flight reached a maximum speed of 64 knots before rejecting its take off. Delta 590 exited the runway and returned to the gate, eventually departing Mexico City three hours after its originally scheduled departure time.
Weather conditions
METAR show that the weather at the time was hazy with 3 miles of visibility.
MMMX 211244Z 07003KT 3SM HZ FEW020 BKN080 OVC220 13/11 A3044 NOSIG RMK 8/537 TWR VIS
MMMX 211341Z 36004KT 3SM HZ FEW020 SCT080 BKN220 15/11 A3045 NOSIG RMK 8/538 TWR VIS
18 Responses
Who’s fault was it?
Too close for comfort
Hopefull Mexico is going to update their flight software as America is in the process of doing
ATC did know inbound E190 and should have held Delta to hold short of the runway.
I believe inbound with close proximity have priority.
The ATC’s inbound controller and outbound controller should have communicated with appropriate aircraft.
So, who was in the wrong? ATC, Delta, or AeorMexico?
ATC was wrong by allowing a Delta Flight to taxi into an active runway, while Aero Mexico was on final approach.
The ATC controller needs to be called for remedial training.
This was a danger situation that shouldn’t have be allowed to proceed.
As a former air traffic controller (30 years in busy facilities) and a corporate pilot I am just stupefied. There were errors in the tower and in both cockpits. First, it appears the local controller forgot about Delta and simply could not see the E190 in the haze. I don’t know, but I assume, that the controller had access to some type of radar display in the cab (D-Brite/Stars); Second, did the E190 pilots (both of them) simply not see the B737 or even worse, assume the B737 was going to continue to hold for them since the displaced threshold was 2,400 feet down the runway; and third, from this article it is unknown if the Delta pilots were in position when the E190 was cleared to land, but if so they should have been concerned after 2 minutes had passed. Just my quick take.
Sounds like ATC were taking a break.
How can they not know an aircraft is landing and advise “go around”?
Trying to assist a local Airline?
Unbelievable.
Hallo flightradar24 ! Would be fine to know who made the severe mistake.
One of the crews (moving without clearance) or the Tower controller ?
ATC Fehler
Interesting info. I like this airplane stuff. Somewhat…not all the time. And I’m getting all kind of ads in my gmails. I have to erase so many undesired gmails every day. So I don’t want to give out my contact info to every advertiser out there. Really. I like FlightRadar24. I have medical helicopters over my roof 24/7.
Near miss are common
The weather was not good to fly
Near miss are common
The weather was not good to fly into
Someone in the tower was not paying attention. Or, was the E190 perhaps CTL on 05L? In any circumstance, a 2 min hold on an active runway is not a brilliant idea. Of the three parties involved, Delta590 seems to be in the clear – and saved the day. Thank goodness.
Frightening…and should never have happened.
That’s scary WOW
Retired ATP with 30yrs experience. A long time ago after a plane landed on top of another at LAX (it involved Skywest and Southwest, I believe) my airline and others instituted policy not to accept clearances into position and hold. I still think it’s a good idea! The problem is the congestion is so bad that controllers want to get the plane in position so they can have it launch ASAP. Anyone who’s flown in and out of KORD, for instance, knows how crazy it can be. Before I retired it was standard practice not to even try to acknowledge some ATC clearances because the controller would already be talking to someone else! Very dangerous but that’s how it was. Hope (but doubt) it’s improved.
The airlines keep adding flights and the government keeps cutting staff and funding. That’s what you get.