A close call was averted last week at Riyadh King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia when an Air Atlanta Europe Malta Boeing 747 freighter, operating on behalf of Saudi Arabian Airlines mistakenly attempted to take off from a taxiway instead of the designated runway.
The Boeing 747-400 freighter with registration 9H-AKF was scheduled to operate flight SV-953 from Riyadh to Nairobi, Kenya.
According to reports, the pilots received clearance for takeoff from runway 33R, which boasts a length of 13,796 feet (4,205 meters). However, a critical error led them to line up on the significantly shorter taxiway K, measuring only 1490 meters (4880 feet).
Thankfully, the crew realized their mistake before a disaster unfolded. Despite reaching speeds exceeding 100 knots (approximately 185 kilometers per hour) during the takeoff roll on the taxiway, they were able to initiate a safe rejected takeoff procedure and bring the aircraft to a stop before reaching the end of the limited runway.
The incident, which is currently under investigation by Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (AIB) is a serious occurrence. The AIB’s investigation will delve into the factors that contributed to this mistake, with the aim of preventing similar occurrences in the future.
Feature Image: Graham Miller