Australia’s transport safety regulator opened an investigation into a fourth runway close-call at Sydney Airport in less than a month, involving two Qantas aircraft on Tuesday.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said a Qantas Airbus A321 preparing to depart to the Gold Coast braked to avoid a Qantas Boeing 737 arriving from Melbourne. The A321 had been cleared to turn onto a taxiway that the 737 had been cleared to continue along, prompting the near-miss. The ATSB noted there was no immediate collision risk but launched the probe to identify common contributing factors across four recent incidents.
The investigation includes interviews with air traffic controllers and flight crew, as well as a review of recorded data. A preliminary report is expected within six to eight weeks.
The latest incident follows three prior close-calls at Sydney Airport in July and August. On July 27, a QantasLink Dash 8 and a Qantas 737 narrowly avoided a collision after conflicting clearances. On August 9, a Jetstar A320 braked sharply to avoid a Qatar Airways Boeing 777, injuring a cabin crew member. Later that day, a Virgin Australia 737 stopped about 1 km short of a Qantas aircraft after both were cleared to cross the same runway.
The incidents coincide with a June survey by air traffic controllers’ union, in which over 50 controllers at Sydney Airport raised concerns over insufficient time to master complex procedures. The survey followed airspace and procedure changes implemented on July 9 to accommodate the opening of a new international airport west of the city. One controller drew parallels to air traffic control challenges in Washington, D.C., prior to a deadly midair collision in January 2025.
Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) reviewed the June report and concluded that Airservices Australia, the government entity employing the controllers, had adequate training, procedures, and operational support in place.
