Fort Lauderdale International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33315
Wednesday, July 11, 2007 14:37 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On July 11, 2007, at 1437 Eastern daylight time a runway incursion occurred at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport, (FLL), Fort Lauderdale, Florida between United (UAL) flight 1544, an A-320 and Delta Airlines (DAL) flight 1489, a Boeing 757. The incident occurred in day visual flight rules conditions, visibility 10 miles, scattered clouds at 4,800 feet. The FLL ground controller (GC) instructed UAL1544 to taxi to runway 9L via taxiways T7, D, and B. As the flight was taxiing on taxiway D near runway 9L, the tower local controller (LC) noticed the airplane was going too fast to hold short of the runway. LC told the GC to tell UAL to stop. The GC said "UAL 1544 stop, stop, stop". The crew stopped on runway 9L, 30 feet from the centerline. DAL1489 was inbound for landing on runway 9L when LC determined that UAL1544 was not going to hold short of the runway. LC instructed DAL1489 to go around. When the crew received the instruction, the main landing gear was on the ground. According to the crew statement, they noted the urgency in the controller's voice so they knew they had to get the aircraft airborne. FAA reported DAL1489 flew over UAL1544 by less than 100 feet. According to the FAA, the UAL crew stated they missed the turn onto taxiway B. FLL air traffic control tower is not equipped with either AMASS or ASDE-X. All airport lighting was functioning normally.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The probable cause of this incident was the United 1544 flight crew's inadvertent entry onto the active runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 7/11/2007
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1437
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Fort Lauderdale
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33315
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 260421N
Event Location Longitude 0800909W
Event Location Airport Fort Lauderdale International
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FLL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 9
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KFLL
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions --
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.1
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 307
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 22760
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 11 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Nov 30 2007 3:42PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office HQ

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number -- --
NTSB Number OPS07IA006A OPS07IA006B
Missing Aircraft Indicator -- --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part -- --
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes No
Damage None None
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Boeing Airbus
Aircraft Model 757-232 A-320
Aircraft Series Identifier -- --
Aircraft Serial Number -- --
Certified Max Gross Weight -- --
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class -- --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft -- --
Number of Engines -- --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection -- --
Date of Last Inspection -- --
Airframe hours since last inspection -- --
Airframe Hours -- --
ELT Installed -- --
ELT Activated -- --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site -- --
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name -- --
Aircraft Owner Street Address -- --
Aircraft Owner City -- --
Aircraft Owner State -- --
Aircraft Owner Country -- --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode -- --
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name -- --
Operator Same as Owner? -- --
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? -- --
Operator Street Address P.O. Box 20706, Department 940 P.O. Box 66100
Operator City Atlanta Chicago
Operator State GA IL
Operator Country USA USA
Operator Zip code 30320 60666
Operator Code DALD UALD
Owner has at least one certificate -- --
Other Operator of large aircraft? -- --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation -- --
Operator Certificate Number -- --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) -- --
Second Pilot on Board -- --
Departure Point Same as Event No Yes
Departure Airport Code KATL KFLL
Departure City Atlanta Fort Lauderdale
Departure State GA FL
Departure Country USA USA
Departure Time -- --
Departure Time Zone EDT EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city --
Destination Airport Code KFLL KIAD
Destination City Fort Lauderdale Washington
Destination State FL DC
Destination Country USA USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - aborted Taxi - to takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 19 2007 8:08PM Nov 19 2007 8:08PM
User who most recently changed record ROWS ROWS
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 9L --
Runway Length 9000 --
Runway Width 150 --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --