The Tribune

A PRIVATE jet apparently landed on a taxiway instead of a runway at Leonard Thompson International Airport in Marsh Harbour, Abaco, on Tuesday, prompting an investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority.

AAIA chief investigator Kendall Dorsett confirmed yesterday that the authority is investigating an incident “where an aircraft apparently landed on the taxiway instead of the runway.”

He said the Airport Authority and the Civil Aviation Authority Bahamas are supporting the investigation. No injuries were reported.

Workers doing maintenance on radar equipment at the airport reportedly witnessed the incident, according to Bahamas Aviation Climate and Severe Weather Network Vice President of Infrastructure Adam Darville.

He said a smaller aircraft was on the taxiway when a larger white jet landed on the same taxiway, forcing the smaller plane onto the grass shoulder to avoid a collision.

The incident comes months after two close calls involving American Airlines flights at Family Island airports in February.

On February 12, an American Airlines flight approaching Exuma was forced to take evasive action to avoid a departing aircraft. Two flight attendants were injured.

On February 24, another incident occurred at North Eleuthera when an aircraft passed overhead while an American Airlines plane was still on the runway preparing for takeoff.

Michael Strachan, chief operating officer of the Bahamas Aviation, Climate & Severe Weather Network, previously said those near-miss incidents highlighted longstanding safety concerns tied to limited data and infrastructure at uncontrolled Family Island airfields.

Mr Strachan said many Family Island airports operate without air traffic control or other infrastructure common at larger airports.

“Working along with the local counterparts to make sure that we have a firm and robust plan in place to improve the safety around these airports, especially the Family Islands, which most of them operate in uncontrolled manner without air traffic control and other infrastructure that would happen,” he said.

He described the incidents as unfortunate but said they reinforced concerns BACSWN raised when its heads of agreement was signed.