This animated reconstruction depicts the sequence of events in a runway incursion that occurred at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), Austin, Texas on February 4, 2023, about 6:40 a.m. central standard time. Southwest Airlines (SWA) flight 708, a Boeing 737-700, and Federal Express (FedEx) flight 1432, a Boeing 767-300 were involved.
The sequence of events was reconstructed based on Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data, Air Traffic Control (ATC) radio communications, flight data recorder (FDR) data from both airplanes, and aircraft performance data.
A map and still images are used to provide an overview of the incident, followed by a three-dimensional animation. The animation does not depict the weather or visibility conditions. The animation includes narration, and the script is attached. The animation of the close approach of the two airplanes is shown twice, the first time with a narrative description of the events, and the second time with recorded ATC communications along with a transcript in the right upper corner of the screen.
The animation begins with a map showing Texas and the surrounding states with the location of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport indicated by a symbol and a label. The map is overlayed with a photograph of the airplane that served as Southwest Airlines (SWA) flight 708, and a photograph of the airplane that served as Federal Express (FedEx) flight 1432. Text boxes indicate the flight numbers and the occupants of each airplane. Text boxes indicate that ten airplanes had departed before SWA flight 708, but FedEx 1432 was the first arrival. A Google Earth image shows the north end of runway 18L, overlayed with the photograph of SWA flight 708
indicating its departure on runway 18L, then overlayed with the photograph of FedEx flight 1432 indicating its arrival on runway 18L. A graphic then indicates the location of the control tower, which is about 3,700 feet from the north end of the runway.
The weather at the airport at the time of incident is discussed; night conditions prevailed, and dense fog obscured the controller’s view of the airport surface. The effect of the weather on visibility is highlighted in a text box. The lack of surface detection equipment at the airport is highlighted in a text box. Then, the Google Earth image is shifted to the area where taxiway Bravo intersects runway 18L. Text boxes indicate the FedEx crew reported being established on the Category III instrument landing system approach for 18L, meaning that the autopilot was flying the approach while the crew monitored. Another text box indicates the controller reported runway visibility to the FedEx crew and cleared them to land.
A still image introduces the SWA on taxiway Bravo with an oval around the airplane and a label SWA, and an animated arrow shows the path of SWA to runway 18L. At the bottom of the screen, the local time, separation of the two airplanes and altitude above ground level of the FedEx airplane are displayed. A disclaimer is shown in a text box that the animation does not depict the weather, which prevented the controller from seeing the airplanes.
The still image is followed by a three-dimensional real time animation. When the SWA crew reports they are short of runway 18L and ready to depart, the animation shows arrows with dimensions indicating that SWA 708 was 550 feet from the hold-short line, which is 200 feet from the edge of the runway 18L. SWA 708 turns to the right from taxiway Bravo onto runway 18L and stops to perform an engine runup. FedEx 1432 is shown on approach in the upper left of the screen; initially, the location of FedEx 1432 is highlighted by a circle and FedEx label; the circle and label are removed when the separation between airplanes is about 2 miles. As SWA 708 begins to move down the runway, the camera view pans left to right to follow it, showing FedEx 1432 descending behind it. Shortly after crossing the threshold, the
FedEx airplane begins to climb, and the crew announces they are going around. FedEx 1432 descends to an altitude of 60 feet above the runway about 400 feet behind SWA 708. FedEx 1432 passes about 200 feet over SWA 708 and begins to turn left, while SWA 708 continues the takeoff.
The animation is played again with ATC audio and its transcript. At the end of the repeated animation, a text box indicates that the FedEx crew reported seeing SWA 708 through the dense fog. The animation is followed by an image of two orange cockpit voice recorders and a text box indicating that the cockpit voice recorders on both airplanes were overwritten. The final still image shows the minimum separation between the two airplanes, which is indicated on the screen to be 170 feet.
