Have you ever wandered into a situation like this?

Incident: Southwest B737 at Chicago on Dec 1st 2011, ATC error causes runway incursion

From The Aviation Herald; By Simon Hradecky, created Tuesday, Jan 1...

A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700, registration N432WN performing flight WN-844 from Minneapolis,MN to Chicago Midway,IL (USA) with 85 people on board, had just landed on runway 31C of Chicago's Midway Airport. While turning off runway 31C onto taxiway B the crew received instruction to cross runway 31R and contact ground.

A Learjet 45 however had been cleared for takeoff on runway 31R just prior to that instruction and was accelerating for takeoff on runway 31R.

The NTSB reported, the first officer of the Boeing spotted the departing Learjet and yelled the captain at the controls to stop, who stopped the aircraft just short of the runway edge. Air Traffic Control did not cancel the takeoff clearance nor issue an instruction to the Boeing to hold short of 31R. The NTSB quoted the Boeing crew alleging the Learjet overflew their 737. The NTSB stated, the separation reduced to 62 feet/19 meters vertical and 267 feet/81 meters lateral. An investigation is ongoing.

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Permalink Reply by Harrison Jones on January 12, 2012 at 8:42am

Controllers normally do a great job, under hectic conditions, but as PIC I always operate on the assumption that I am on my own. The old motto, "In God we trust, but everybody else is suspect," is not a bad philosophy. This was obviously a controller error, but the crew, at least the FO, did a nice job of maintaining situational awareness and taking charge. To answer your question, yes I have encountered similar situations, and unfortunately it happens far too often. When you add the complication of language issues in foriegn countries, it becomes even more prevalent. Heads up guys! We are ultimately responsible and will be held accountable.

Permalink Reply by Douglas "Bill" Brockhaus on January 21, 2012 at 9:37am

I have listened to the tower tapes of the event, what was very alarming was the controlling "blowing off" the Southwest pilot when they informed the tower of the incursion.  Luckily there was not an accident. 

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