Jet aborts takeoff as car makes wrong turn onto runway in US

LOS ANGLES: A plane carrying 78 passengers and crew members had to abort a takeoff at the busy international airport here when a car made a wrong turn onto a runway, around the same time that air traffic controllers were dealing with requests for emergency landings from two other airliners.

Federal Aviation Administration officials said a Compass Airlines Embraer 170, a regional jet, was headed down a runway on the south side of the Los Angeles International Airport when an alarm sounded in the tower and air traffic control spotted the car.

The incident occurred about 11:50 am when an airport employee driving an official airport vehicle had mistakenly turned onto the runway from a taxiway and was headed toward the twin-engine jet, Los Angles Times quoted officials as saying.

After air traffic control cancelled the takeoff, the pilot applied the brakes and pulled off the runway after travelling a few thousand feet.

No injuries were reported.

Though it has not been officially confirmed, the jet and car were apparently several thousand feet apart when the airliner came to a stop.

"We can't immediately confirm when the last time a runway incident involving a vehicle last occurred, but this is extremely rare," said Nancy Castles, a spokeswoman for LAWA who has worked for the LAX operator for 20 years.

FAA officials said they will investigate the incident.

The Compass jet, which was flying for Delta Connection, departed for Kansas City International Airport after a short delay.

Airport officials said they intercepted the car and later rescinded the employee's authorisation to drive on airfield service roads.

The driver had not been cleared to go on or near runways, officials said.

Meanwhile, the emergency landings included a Delta Airlines A330 from Atlanta to Honolulu that diverted to Los Angles airport because of a medical emergency.

The second urgent landing involved an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 from Los Angles to Seattle, which returned because of a mechanical issue and landed without incident shortly after noon, the report said.