A Denver International Airport electrician drove across an active runway Tuesday afternoon as a United Airlines plane was maneuvering to take off – the second serious runway infraction by a DIA vehicle in six months.
Air-traffic controllers cleared United Flight 111 to take off on runway 17 Right on DIA’s east side when the vehicle appeared at the intersection of taxiway EC and the runway and raced across 17 Right “at a high rate of speed,” according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The vehicle had cleared the runway before the United plane fully entered 17 Right and turned southbound to start its takeoff roll, the FAA added.
DIA spokesman Chuck Cannon said the electrician had a “red-stripe” badge that allowed access to taxiways and runways without an escort after getting clearance from controllers in the tower and DIA’s airfield manager.
The employee did not get that clearance before crossing the runway and has been placed on investigative leave and had his badge “pulled,” Cannon said.
On Feb. 2, a DIA snowplow driver crossed a runway, also without clearance, in front of a United jet that had just landed.
The plane’s crew averted a collision by using “significant” reverse thrust and braking to stop short of the snowplow, according to a final National Transportation Safety Board report released this week.
After the February incident, FAA officials told DIA it had to tighten procedures that allow vehicles on the airfield.
“We intensified training, reduced the number of red-stripe badges and put up all kinds of markers – warning signs,” Cannon said.
Following Tuesday’s incident, DIA will further restrict access to taxiways and runways by airport work crews, Cannon said, adding that such crews will need to be escorted by specially trained DIA personnel.
Staff writer Jeffrey Leib can be reached at 303-954-1645 or jleib@denverpost.com.
