American 777 crew dealing with belated load close-out before serious JFK incursion: inquiry
US investigators have disclosed that an American Airlines Boeing 777-200ER crew had originally expected and briefed for a different runway departure, and was dealing with a belated load close-out, before a serious runway incursion incident at New York JFK last year. The crew of the 777 had briefed to taxi for runway 31L ahead of the flight to London Heathrow on 13 January 2023. But while parked at the gate the crew received instrument clearance – via the ACARS communication system – which indicated a take-off from runway 4L. The crew reprogrammed the flight-management system and revised the taxi briefing, which would take the aircraft along a path similar to the 31L taxi route. “All three pilots said [during interviews] they understood at that time that [the 777] would be departing runway 4L,” states the National Transportation Safety Board in newly-released human factors and operational documentation on the incident. After the 777 was pushed back, it was given taxi clearance to runway 4L via a left turn on taxiway B and told to hold short of taxiway K. The crew responded, acknowledging the hold-short instruction. The inquiry’s documentation reveals that the captain had still not received the load close-out – which contained final confirmation of passenger numbers, fuel and cargo weights – after the pushback, and he slowed the taxi. He testified to investigators that he would normally have stopped the taxi altogether, but he did not want to hold up traffic, and the presence of a relief first officer meant the close-out could be requested while taxiing.<br/>
https://portal.staralliance.com/cms/news/hot-topics/2024-01-31/oneworld/american-777-crew-dealing-with-belated-load-close-out-before-serious-jfk-incursion-inquiry
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American 777 crew dealing with belated load close-out before serious JFK incursion: inquiry
US investigators have disclosed that an American Airlines Boeing 777-200ER crew had originally expected and briefed for a different runway departure, and was dealing with a belated load close-out, before a serious runway incursion incident at New York JFK last year. The crew of the 777 had briefed to taxi for runway 31L ahead of the flight to London Heathrow on 13 January 2023. But while parked at the gate the crew received instrument clearance – via the ACARS communication system – which indicated a take-off from runway 4L. The crew reprogrammed the flight-management system and revised the taxi briefing, which would take the aircraft along a path similar to the 31L taxi route. “All three pilots said [during interviews] they understood at that time that [the 777] would be departing runway 4L,” states the National Transportation Safety Board in newly-released human factors and operational documentation on the incident. After the 777 was pushed back, it was given taxi clearance to runway 4L via a left turn on taxiway B and told to hold short of taxiway K. The crew responded, acknowledging the hold-short instruction. The inquiry’s documentation reveals that the captain had still not received the load close-out – which contained final confirmation of passenger numbers, fuel and cargo weights – after the pushback, and he slowed the taxi. He testified to investigators that he would normally have stopped the taxi altogether, but he did not want to hold up traffic, and the presence of a relief first officer meant the close-out could be requested while taxiing.<br/>
