Air Canada Near Miss: How This Close Call Was Allowed to Happen

In the world of aviation, safety is paramount. While incidents are thankfully rare, a near miss involving two Air Canada aircraft at Toronto Pearson International Airport in 2020 raised serious concerns about the potential for disaster. This incident highlights the critical role of air traffic control, weather conditions, and technology in preventing accidents.

The Incident

On July 22, 2020, two Air Canada aircraft, a Boeing 737-800 and a Boeing 767-300ER, were cleared to land on the same runway at Toronto Pearson. As the 737-800 approached the runway, the 767-300ER was cleared to land ahead of it. However, the 767-300ER was delayed in its descent due to heavy rain and turbulence, causing it to cross the runway just as the 737-800 was about to land. The 737-800 pilot initiated a go-around maneuver, narrowly avoiding a collision. The incident, fortunately, resulted in no injuries or damage to either aircraft.

Contributing Factors

Several factors contributed to this near miss, including:

• Weather Conditions: Heavy rain and turbulence significantly impacted the 767-300ER’s descent, leading to its delay and crossing of the runway.
• Aircraft Type: The Boeing 767-300ER is a larger aircraft than the Boeing 737-800, making it more difficult to maneuver in adverse weather conditions.
• Air Traffic Control: The air traffic controller cleared the 767-300ER to land ahead of the 737-800, without considering the potential impact of weather conditions on the 767-300ER’s descent.

Safety Protocols and Technology

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safety protocols and the use of technology to prevent similar incidents. Following the incident, Transport Canada, the Canadian aviation regulator, conducted a thorough investigation and issued several recommendations for improvement, including:

• Enhanced weather forecasting and communication: Improved weather information and communication between air traffic control and pilots can help mitigate the risks associated with adverse weather conditions.
• Enhanced separation standards: Increasing the separation distance between aircraft during landing can reduce the risk of collisions.
• Improved training for air traffic controllers: Training programs should focus on developing air traffic controllers’ ability to manage complex situations, including those involving adverse weather conditions.

Technology also plays a crucial role in enhancing aviation safety. Systems such as Ground Proximity Warning Systems (GPWS) and Terrain Awareness and Warning Systems (TAWS) provide pilots with warnings about potential hazards, including terrain and other aircraft. Additionally, the use of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology allows aircraft to share their position and altitude information with other aircraft and air traffic control, improving situational awareness and reducing the risk of collisions.

Lessons Learned

The Air Canada near miss incident serves as a valuable lesson in the importance of safety protocols, technology, and human vigilance in aviation. It highlights the need for constant vigilance, robust safety measures, and ongoing improvements in training and technology to ensure the safety of passengers and crew. As the aviation industry continues to evolve, it is essential to learn from past incidents and implement measures that prevent similar events from happening in the future.