Jetstar A320, Qatar 777 Avert Sydney Taxiway Collision, Disrupting 150 Flights

Q: What critical error almost caused two massive commercial jets to collide at Sydney Airport today?

The critical error appears to have been a breakdown in ground movement coordination at an intersecting taxiway — most likely either an incorrect air traffic control instruction or a failure by the tug towing the Qatar Airways 777 to follow a hold-short or other ground clearance. What is established is that the Jetstar A320 had been cleared to taxi for departure, while the Qatar 777, which had arrived from Doha and was being towed, entered or approached the same crossing taxiway at the same time. That put both aircraft on a collision path and forced an emergency stop. Jetstar says its crew was following ATC instructions, and some early reporting cited indications that the tug operator may not have complied with directions, but that has not been confirmed. So the near-collision was not caused by a mechanical failure or airborne conflict, but by a surface-operations error: two large aircraft were allowed, or proceeded, into the same taxiway intersection simultaneously. Investigators are now examining whether the fault lay with the ground controller, the tug operator, or another operational lapse in the chain of coordination.

3 articles · Updated · One Mile at a Time · Aug 9

Around 7 a.m. Sunday, a Jetstar A320 taxiing for departure and a Qatar Airways 777 being towed from a gate stopped abruptly on intersecting taxiways at Sydney Airport, narrowly avoiding a collision.
The hard braking injured a Jetstar flight attendant and forced flight JQ402 to return to the gate, while the 777 tow damaged the connection between the aircraft's nose gear and the tug.
More than 150 flights were affected after blocked taxiways restricted airport traffic, causing substantial delays across Sydney.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is collecting aircraft, ATC and CCTV data and interviewing crews, tug operators and controllers; the ground controller and tug operator were stood down for mandatory drug and alcohol testing.
Jetstar said its pilots were following air traffic control instructions, leaving investigators to determine whether the error lay with ground control, the tug operator or another breakdown in procedure.