Sydney, Australia: The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) on 30 September 2026 released preliminary reports into four aircraft coordination and conflict occurrences at Sydney Airport involving Qantas, QantasLink, Jetstar, Qatar Airways and Virgin Australia aircraft in July and August 2026. The reports cover two runway incursions and two taxiing conflict/proximity events.
The ATSB said the preliminary reports provide a factual account of the sequence of events and operational context gathered so far, but do not contain analysis or findings. Those will be included in the final reports after the investigations are completed.
27 July 2026: Qantas 737 and QantasLink Dash 8 involved in serious runway incursion
The ATSB’s preliminary report records that a Qantas Boeing 737-800, VH-XZG operating QF124, and a QantasLink Bombardier DHC-8-400, VH-QOC operating QLK424D, came into conflict at Sydney Airport after an air traffic control handover. QF124 entered the protected area of runway 34L while QLK424D was landing on the same runway. The aircraft stopped about 120 metres apart, with no injuries or damage reported.
The occurrence took place on the morning of 27 July 2026. QF124 had flown from Queenstown, New Zealand, to Sydney with 147 passengers, five cabin crew and two flight crew. It landed on runway 34R at about 0810 and began taxiing towards its international-terminal parking bay.
The report records that the outgoing aerodrome controller west handed over the position shortly before QLK424D landed. During the handover, the incoming controller was told that QLK424D was approaching and would roll through to taxiway B2, as well as that there was a pending runway 25 crossing. The outgoing controller then left for a scheduled rest break.
After the handover, the incoming controller observed the DHC-8 slowing and assumed it would use the B9 rapid exit. Based on that assumption, the controller instructed the surface movement controller west to allow QF124 to cross. Stop bars were extinguished and QF124 was cleared to cross runway 34L.
QLK424D passed the B9 rapid exit at about 88 kt. While QF124’s crew was reading back the crossing clearance, the surface movement controller cancelled the clearance and instructed the aircraft to hold short. Seconds later, both controllers instructed the aircraft to stop immediately.
QF124 stopped before the intersection of runway 34L and runway 25 but had already entered the runway surface area beyond the stop bars, constituting a runway incursion. QLK424D stopped before the runway intersection. The aircraft were approximately 120 metres apart. No injuries or damage were reported.
9 August 2026: Jetstar A320 and Qatar 777 came within 30 metres during towing operation
The ATSB’s preliminary records a taxiing proximity event involving Jetstar A320-232 VH-VQJ operating Jetstar 402 and Qatar Airways Boeing 777-300ER A7-BEU, which was being towed by a Menzies Aviation tug at Sydney Airport. The two movements converged near the intersection of taxiways Golf and Charlie, prompting emergency braking.
The tug and B777 stopped with less than 30 metres of separation. Heavy braking caused the tow bar to deform and obstruct the B777’s nosewheels, resulting in minor damage. There were no injuries to people on the tug or aboard the B777, but a Jetstar cabin crew member sustained a broken wrist after falling during the emergency braking.
The report records that the tug driver had been instructed to follow a “Jetstar aircraft” onto taxiway C. The driver followed Jetstar 456 but had not yet identified the second Jetstar A320, Jetstar 402, which was also approaching the area.
The event occurred at about 0716 local time on 9 August 2026, when a Menzies Aviation Bliss-Fox F1-500-D tug, callsign Silver Victor, began towing Qatar Airways’ B777 from international terminal bay 32 to remote bay 122 for storage. An engineer was in the B777 cockpit along with five cabin service agents, while the tug carried its driver and a head-setter.
9 August 2026: Virgin Australia 737 and Qantas 737 involved in runway incursion
The ATSB’s preliminary records a runway incursion involving Virgin Australia Boeing 737-8SA VH-IJQ operating VA555 and Qantas Boeing 737-838 VH-XZH operating QF728 at Sydney Airport. QF728 was crossing runway 34L when VA555 was cleared for take-off from the same runway.
The report records that the aerodrome controller west was undergoing familiarisation training under an on-the-job training instructor. The controller issued a take-off clearance to VA555 while QF728 was still inside the runway protected area, about 1.3 km ahead. The training instructor identified the conflict and prompted cancellation of the take-off clearance.
VA555 had begun moving at about 2 kt, with both engine N1 indications reaching 33%, before the captain stopped the aircraft. QF728 continued across the runway and exited the protected area. Both aircraft subsequently departed without further incident, and no injuries or damage were reported.
The occurrence happened on the morning of 9 August 2026. VA555, a Virgin Australia Boeing 737-8SA, was scheduled to fly to Perth with 167 passengers, four cabin crew and two flight crew. QF728, a Qantas Boeing 737-838, was scheduled for Ayers Rock with 162 passengers, four cabin crew and two flight crew.
18 August 2026: Qantas A321 stopped as Qantas 737 passed in front during taxi
The preliminary report concerns Qantas Airbus A321-271NY VH-OGA operating QF405 and Qantas Boeing 737-800 VH-VXL operating QF589. It records that the two aircraft converged near the intersection of taxiways C and L after different taxi clearances and sequence information were issued.
QF405 had been told it was “number 1 to the company on the left”, indicating priority over another Qantas aircraft approaching from its left. However, QF589 was subsequently cleared to taxi along taxiway L without being advised of QF405’s sequence priority. When QF405’s crew saw QF589 approaching, they assessed that it was not slowing to give way and the captain applied additional braking, stopping the A321 before taxiway L.
QF589 continued along taxiway L, passed in front of QF405 at about 0809 and then turned onto taxiway B. Both aircraft subsequently continued without further incident.
The occurrence took place on the morning of 18 August 2026. QF405, an Airbus A321 registered VH-OGA, was scheduled from Sydney to Melbourne with 176 passengers, five cabin crew and three flight crew. The aircraft initially taxied towards runway 34R but returned to parking bay 3 after the crew detected a braking-system issue. After the issue was rectified, the aircraft was pushed back again at about 0757.
For its second departure, the crew elected to use runway 34L. At about 0800, the SMC east instructed QF405 to follow the standard route and initially hold short of taxiway F. The clearance was progressively extended as the aircraft moved south on taxiway C. At about 0806, the controller told the crew they would be “number 1 to company on the left”, giving QF405 sequence priority over company traffic approaching from the left.
The controller then instructed QF405 to hold short of runway 34L, requiring the aircraft to continue on taxiway C, cross taxiway B10 and turn right onto taxiway L. After the crew read back the clearance, they were transferred to the SMC west frequency.
The ATSB has received and begun analysing ground-radar and ATC communications data, operational documentation, recorded flight data from both aircraft and Sydney Airport CCTV. Investigators have also interviewed the pilots of both aircraft and the SMC east. Further work will examine aircraft and ATC data, taxi-clearance procedures and similar occurrences.
The report records that the SMC east controller was appropriately endorsed, had 16 years of ATC experience and had spent one year at Sydney Airport. The controller had returned from a scheduled break at 0730 and had been working the SMC east position for about 39 minutes before the occurrence. The controller reported moderate traffic, no elevated predicted fatigue risk and feeling alert.
Investigation continues
The ATSB has emphasised that the four reports released on 30 September 2026 are preliminary reports, not final investigation reports. They provide the sequence of events, evidence gathered and operational context available at this stage, while the bureau continues its analysis.
Across the four investigations, the ATSB is examining a range of issues including air traffic control coordination, controller handovers, taxi clearances, runway-crossing procedures, training and supervision, reporting processes, towing operations, stop-bar procedures, staffing arrangements, rostering and fatigue-risk management. The bureau has said that the recurring appearance of staffing and resourcing issues is an area of enquiry, but has not yet determined whether those factors directly contributed to any of the occurrences.
Final reports containing the ATSB’s analysis and findings will be released at the conclusion of each investigation. The bureau has also stated that if a critical safety issue is identified before completion of an investigation, relevant parties will be notified so that appropriate safety action can be taken.
