Japan’s transport ministry has highlighted an incident in the United States where a Japan Airlines (JAL) pilot overshot a stop line at San Diego International Airport (SAN).
Details of the mistake came as the officials from the Japanese transport ministry visited JAL’s base at Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) on February 13, 2024, to look at the carrier’s safety management system.
According to the ministry, the JAL flight was preparing to takeoff from SAN to Narita International Airport (NRT) on February 6, 2024, when the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner entered the wrong taxiway.
An air traffic controller alerted the JAL pilot, and the aircraft was stopped before it entered the runway.
In response, a Delta Air Lines flight on its final approach was instructed to abort its landing and perform a go-around.
“I mistakenly thought I was supposed to turn further ahead. I noticed something was odd, and at the same time the controller alerted us to the error, so I stopped the plane. But the plane had already overshot the stop line,” the pilot told the ministry according to NHK.
In addition, the transport ministry also detailed another JAL flight in November 2023, that landed in Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).
According to the ministry, once landed the JAL aircraft turned into an adjoining runway without air traffic control’s say-so.
The pilot then crossed the runway and proceeded to the parking apron. The crew said they misunderstood the instructions given by the air traffic controller.
JAL is understood to be investigating both incidents.
AeroTime has contacted Delta Air Lines for comment.