A controller's mistake could have caused a major accident Sunday at Tokushima Airport when a jetliner on final approach narrowly missed colliding with a maintenance vehicle on the runway, the transport ministry said.
The controller simply "forgot" to tell the vehicle to hold short for the incoming jet and cleared the aircraft to land, according to the ministry, which has deemed the incident grave and launched an official probe, sending aviation accident investigators to Tokushima.
At around 11 a.m. Sunday, a Boeing 767 operated by Japan Airlines aborted its landing several seconds before it could have hit the vehicle thanks to a quick decision by the pilot, who spotted the vehicle, the ministry said.
The plane eventually landed on the runway 30 minutes later.
There were 67 passengers and crew members aboard JAL Flight 455, bound for Tokushima from Tokyo's Haneda airport. No one sustained any injury, the ministry said.