Denver Intrenational Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Denver, Colorado 80249
Friday, December 31, 2010 20:34 UTC

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A runway incursion occurred when an aviation operations vehicle, operated as the lead vehicle for a snow removal team, entered an active runway without clearance as the airplane was about to begin its takeoff roll. The airplane's crew noticed the headlights of the vehicle approaching on the runway and did not initiate their takeoff roll. The tower controller was not aware of the vehicle on the runway until advised by the airplane's crew. The airport was equipped with ASDE-X, which did not alert of the runway incursion due to the slow closure rate of the vehicle to the stationary aircraft. Postincident investigation revealed that the driver of the operations vehicle misidentified the runway for an adjacent taxiway.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The driver of the operation vehicle's misidentification of the runway for an adjacent taxiway, resulting in a runway incursion with an aircraft in position for takeoff.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 12/31/2010
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2034
Event Time Zone Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT
Event City Denver
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80249
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport Denver Intrenational Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KDEN
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 5431
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1253 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KDEN
Elevation of weather observation facility 5431
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 5000
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.05
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury --
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28812
NTSB Notification Source Air Canada
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 30 2011 9:10AM
User who most recently changed record broda
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number --
NTSB Number OPS11IA273
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part --
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name EMBRAER
Aircraft Model ERJ190
Aircraft Series Identifier 100IGW
Aircraft Serial Number --
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? 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
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name --
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO Box 64239, RPO Thorncliff
Aircraft Owner City Clagary AB
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country CA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode T2K 6J7
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country CA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code ARNF
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number ARNF245C
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code KDEN
Departure City Denver
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 2030
Departure Time Zone UTC
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CYUL
Destination City Montreal-Trudea
Destination State --
Destination Country CA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 29 2011 2:52PM
User who most recently changed record bard
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 34R
Runway Length 12000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --