An Aeromexico Boeing 737-700, registration EI-DRD performing flight AM-421 from Merida to Mexico City (Mexico), was cleared for takeoff and was accelerating for takeoff from runway 10 at 10:32L (15:32Z), when the crew rejected takeoff at high speed due to sighting another aircraft on the runway. The aircraft braked heavily, the crew managed to avoid a collision and reported there was another aircraft on the runway, when tower queried for the reason of rejecting takeoff, reacting astonished about the presence of another aircraft.
An Interjet Airbus A320-200, registration XA-MTY performing flight 4O-2526 from Mexico City to Merida (Mexico) with 136 people on board, had landed at 10:31L and was turning to backtrack the runway to the apron when tower cleared AM-421 for takeoff.
EI-DRD returned to the apron. The aircraft was able to depart 5 hours later and reached Mexico with a delay of 5 hours.
XA-MTY departed Merida for the return flight 4O-2527 about 4 hours later with a delay of 3.5 hours.
Mexico’s Transport Ministry reported flight AM-421 rejected takeoff when the crew observed an obstacle on the runway. The recordings of the communication between crew and Air Traffic Control have been forwarded to the aviation authority for investigation. Preliminary analysis suggests the tower controller cleared AM-421 for takeoff without verification of the runway being clear.
The Aviation Herald
