Agreed, US Air saved the day on that one. Scarry how tower told US Air that United wasn't anyway near the runway.
Semper Fi,
usmcecho4
It said a foggy night on the video. Great judgement call by that pilot.One would hope/think the tower controller would be able to see the active rwy before issuing T/O clearances. Was this at night, or broad daylight?
Brett
It was a foggy night at TF Green in Providence, RI.
For those of y'all coming down to P-Cola for API, you'll get a pretty detailed account of this incident during the CRM briefs and also during safety standdowns if they decide to do a runway incursion brief.
I
This has happened dozens (?) of times to me in civie street.
Another time @ MSP ... I witnessed a DC-10 take-off OVER another DC-10 by rotating early as the second -10 crossed the duty runway (as instructed by ATC -ground/tower -- it was dark) .... had the 1st pilot not rotated early --- something like 500 people could have died.
You are responsible at the end of the day. You MUST keep your head on a swivel, your eyes and ears open, and KEEP THINKING!!!
That's my home airport, I 'think' we have a nearly flawless safety record out of MSP.