Dutch investigators have disclosed that a Transavia Boeing 737-800 attempted to depart from a taxiway at Amsterdam Schiphol before tower controllers intervened and ordered the jet to abort.
The aircraft had been operating flight HV1041 on 6 September.
It was travelling along taxiway C which runs parallel to runway 18C, with taxiway D – also parallel – running between them. During the taxi the crew was instructed to line up on 18C and granted take-off clearance.
After receiving the clearance, at about 06:05, the crew responded by asking: “May we take Whiskey Two?”
This referred to the W2 taxiway which connects taxiway D to a northern intersection of the runway, but which is not connected to taxiway C. This might suggest the pilots believed they were on taxiway D, adjacent to the runway, rather than one taxiway removed.
Dutch Safety Board investigators state that the crew turned onto taxiway D, heading in a southerly direction, and commenced the take-off roll.
“Stop immediately, stop immediately, hold position,” ordered the tower controller, before adding: “Transavia 1041, are you stopping?”
The controller then informed the crew that they had been departing from a taxiway, subsequently asking: “With the brakes and everything, do you need the fire brigade or something?”
Air-ground communications were archived by the LiveATC site.
No emergency services attendance was requested by the crew, and the Dutch Safety Board says the aircraft taxied back to the beginning of runway 18C and carried out an uneventful departure.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
