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OPS07IA002

2007-01-10 · Atlanta, Georgia, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport ATL

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

This incident was caused by the local controller's issuance of an improper takeoff clearance to DAL1606. Contributing was the failure of the oncoming and outgoing local controllers to provide and receive a complete position relief briefing; and the oncoming controller's failure to use all available information sources to facilitate situational awareness.

Factual narrative

Incident occurred on January 10, 2007 at about 1630 EST involving Delta Airlines (DAL) flight 1606, a Boeing 757-212, at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Controllers were in the process of changing the runway configuration from landing and departing from the west to landing and departing to the east. The tower local controller instructed DAL1606, "cleared for take off runway 9L, fly heading 110 at the marker". Controller then saw an aircraft on landing roll on runway 27L and noticed there were still other aircraft inbound for runway 27L and instructed DAL1606 to abort the takeoff. Captain aborted at 140 knots, and exited the runway. He asked the ground controller to watch the airplane as it taxied back to the ramp because the brake temperature was up and he was concerned about fire; at that time there was no smoke. As the plane was taxiing to the gate, the controller noticed smoke coming from the right main gear and called for crash, fire, and rescue services. Three tires were deflated but there was no fire. There were no injuries to the 6 crew or 167 passengers. Incident occurred on January 10, 2007 at about 1630 EST involving Delta Airlines (DAL) flight 1606, a Boeing 757-212, at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Controllers were in the process of changing the runway configuration from landing and departing from the west to landing and departing to the east. The tower local controller instructed DAL1606, "cleared for take off runway 9L, fly heading 110 at the marker". Controller then saw an aircraft on landing roll on runway 27L and noticed there were still other aircraft inbound for runway 27L and instructed DAL1606 to abort the takeoff. Captain aborted at 140 knots, and exited the runway. He asked the ground controller to watch the airplane as it taxied back to the ramp because the brake temperature was up and he was concerned about fire; at that time there was no smoke. As the plane was taxiing to the gate, the controller noticed smoke coming from the right main gear and called for crash, fire, and rescue services. Three tires were deflated but there was no fire. There were no injuries to the 6 crew or 167 passengers. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2007_OPS07IA002.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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