[SystemSafety] Chicago controller halts Delta jet's near-miss on takeoff: '1328, stop, stop stop!'

[Smith, Brian E. (ARC-TH)]

As observed by Peter, this may have been caused by confusion between the
Call Signs of the aircraft.  One of those rare, Black Swan events.

From: 
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-midway-airport-close-c
all-20150617-story.html#

Before the incident, a Midway ground controller had notified both
pilots about the similar and potentially confusing flight numbers of the
   [comment: good job!]
two planes waiting to depart, and he advised the pilots to listen
carefully to radio calls, according to tapes of the incident, which are
on http://www.LiveATC.net

On the transmission, the tower controller is heard clearing Southwest
Flight 3828 for takeoff. But when the Southwest pilot radios back
confirmation, his voice is obscured, or "stepped on," by a dual
transmission, apparently from Delta Flight 1328. During a dual
transmission, each pilot hears only some of what is being communicated.

A second dual transmission then occurs, and seconds later, as the
Southwest plane is accelerating down runway 31 Center, the Delta plane
is also on a takeoff roll on intersecting runway 4 Right, sources said.

A controller abruptly yells, "Stop, stop, stop, stop!" A pilot says,
"Aborting," and another pilot announces, "SWA stopping."






On 6/18/15, 10:27 AM, "Simon Whiteley" <simon at whiteley-safety.co.uk> wrote:

>http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2015/06/chicago_controller_prevents
>_de.html
>
>FYI
>
>- Two passenger jets began to take off at the same time on intersecting
>runways at Chicago's Midway International Airport, prompting a controller
>to shout over the radio for one of the pilots to halt to avoid a
>collision.
>
>
>
>Wow! Just wow!
>-SPPW
>
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