You can’t always depend on the Controllers to keep you safe.

Following is a story of a near intersection incursion caused by the Tower Controllers error in clearing two planes for departure on intersecting runways.

Avantair Crew Prevents Collision At TEB

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On Sunday at about 1:20 p.m., the crew of an Avantair Piaggio Avanti P.180 took evasive action during takeoff from New Jersey's Teterboro Airport, averting certain disaster.

According to an NTSB preliminary report, the tower controller cleared the twin turboprop (N152SL, operating as Avantair Flight 152) to take off on Runway 24 and seconds later cleared a Cirrus SR22 (N6026K) for takeoff on intersecting Runway 19.

The NTSB said the crew of the fractional Avanti saw the Cirrus during their departure roll and applied maximum braking, which blew out two of the twin turboprop's tires but slowed the airplane enough to avoid a collision by a mere 50 feet. N512SL eventually came to rest in the intersection, just after the Cirrus safely crossed.

According to the NTSB report, "The tower controller stated that he did not see the incursion, so he did not cancel either takeoff clearance." There were three people in the tower cab -- the tower/controller-in charge and two "developmental controllers" who were working clearance delivery -- while one controller was on break.

The NTSB said the two developmental controllers were faced away from the front of the cab and did not see the event. VMC prevailed during the incident, with a clear sky and 10 miles of visibility

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