Plane landing in fog almost hit worker riding lawnmower

[JS50557]

A HOLIDAY flight landing in fog last month at Dublin Airport almost struck a tractor cutting airfield grass, in what an air investigation report says was a "serious incident".

The charter, inbound from Egypt with 200 passengers on board, was so close that a wing passed over the man riding the lawnmower. He was not wearing a visibility jacket.

In addition, his vehicle was not equipped with a flashing light or a radio to hear air traffic control instructions.

The investigation viewed footage from new cameras being installed at the airport and a "target representing the ride-on mower moving along the runway is clearly visible".

The equipment generated an advance warning symbol on its display "indicating the potential conflict between the landing aircraft and the ride-on mower".

"The driver of the mower was unaware that an aircraft was landing and he did not see the aircraft before it passed his vehicle," the report said.

The Boeing, which was chartered to Thomson Airways, was landing after a flight from Sharm-el-Sheikh in Egypt on May 29 with 198 passengers and eight crew.

Safety

The Dublin Airport Authority has already implemented a safety recommendation that all vehicles operating close to "active" runways have radios capable of receiving ground control and tower frequencies and are equipped with yellow lights and transponders.

The Department of Transport's Air Accident Investigation Unit says their investigation is ongoing.

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