Two Air Canada planes missed colliding at Toronto Pearson after the flight crew of a Boeing 777 and air traffic control missed a radio call saying another plane was still on the runway, a report says.
On 07 March 2020, at 0948 Eastern Standard Time, the Air Canada Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW (Embraer 190) aircraft (registration C-FMZW, serial number 19000124), operating as flight ACA1037 and carrying 83 passengers and 4 crew members, was conducting a takeoff from Runway 06L at Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International Airport, Ontario. Shortly after the Embraer 190 had begun its take-off roll, the Air Canada Boeing 777-333ER (Boeing 777) aircraft (registration C-FJZS, serial number 62400), operating as flight ACA606, was instructed to line up on Runway 06L. On board were 345 passengers and 14 crew members.
As the Embraer 190 was accelerating on its take-off roll, it struck a bird. The flight crew initiated a rejected takeoff and made a radio call to report that they were rejecting the takeoff. Neither air traffic control nor the Boeing 777 flight crew heard this radio call because the Boeing 777 flight crew was reading back their take-off clearance on the same frequency.
As the Boeing 777 was accelerating on its take-off roll, the flight crew observed that the Embraer 190 was still on the runway and initiated a rejected takeoff. Both aircraft eventually exited the runway and returned to the terminal. There were no injuries. There was no damage to either aircraft.