A Transavia Boeing 737-800 was involved in a serious incident on Friday September 6th; it almost took off from a taxiway at Amsterdam Schipol Airport, according to The Aviation Herald.
The aircraft, registered PH-HSJ, was preparing to takeoff as flight HV-1041 from Amsterdam (Netherlands) to Chania (Greece) and taxiing on taxiway Charlie (C) to headland 18C at around 06:00 local time.
The DSB (Dutch Safety Board) was notified and emitted a statement:
“The airplane taxied in a northerly direction on taxiway Charlie to runway 18C when it received takeoff clearance for runway 18C. The flight crew then drove on taxiway Delta in a southerly direction and commenced the takeoff. Air traffic control noticed this and instructed the crew to stop immediately. The crew aborted the takeoff run and taxied back to the beginning of runway 18C, after which the airplane took off uneventfully.”
Radio Communication
The regularly scheduled flight to Crete was taxing along taxiway C to take off from runway 18C.
As the aircraft neared the end of the taxiway the crew radioed Schiphol control tower saying: “Goedendag, Transavia one zero four one ready for departure”.
The controller in the tower then cleared the flight for takeoff on runway 18C replying: “One zero four one goedeidag line up eighteen center, cleared for takeoff.”
The flight crew repeated the instruction back to the tower saying: “Line up one eight center, cleared for takeoff one zero four one.”
The flight then radioed the tower to ask: “May we take Whiskey two, one zero four one?”
This referred to the W2 taxiway which connects taxiway D to a northern intersection of the runway, which is not connected to taxiway C. This might suggest the pilots believed they were on taxiway D, adjacent to the runway, rather than one taxiway removed.
The tower replied to the Transavia aircraft saying: “Yes, but that is a detour”.
Now, the pilot lined up on taxiway Delta and proceeded to attempt takeoff.
The controller in the tower immediately radioed the aircraft telling them to abort the takeoff: “Transavia one zero four one-stop immediately, stop immediately, hold position.” adding: “Transavia 1041, are you stopping?”
The controller then informed the crew that they had been departing from a taxiway, subsequently asking: “With the brakes and everything, do you need the fire brigade or something?”
No emergency service attendance was requested by the crew, the Dutch Safety Board stated that the aircraft taxied back to the beginning of runway 18C and carried out an uneventful departure.