JAL plane crossed runway stop line at U.S. airport

A Japan Airlines passenger plane erroneously went beyond a stop line leading to a runway at a U.S. airport Feb. 6, causing another aircraft to reattempt its landing, it was learned Wednesday.

According to Japan’s transport ministry, the JAL plane heading to Narita Airport in Chiba Prefecture crossed the stop line in front of the runway at San Diego International Airport just after noon on Feb. 6.

The JAL flight is believed to have moved in the wrong direction although it recognized an instruction from an air traffic controller telling it to wait on a taxiway.

While the JAL aircraft did not enter the runway, an aircraft operated by U.S. carrier Delta Air Lines was on its final approach and was forced to redo its landing following an emergency air traffic control order, according to the ministry.

Last November, a different JAL plane entered the wrong runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, also in the United States, after misunderstanding an instruction from an air traffic controller.

In light of the two incidents, the ministry conducted an on-site inspection at JAL’s office at Haneda Airport on Tuesday afternoon to check the carrier’s safety management system.

The ministry instructed the company to submit a detailed report and draw up preventative measures.

“As we are looking into the events, we won’t comment,” a JAL official said.