ANA Boeing 767 Avoids Collision at Haneda; Regulators Rule Out Serious Incident

An ANA Boeing 767 carrying 197 passengers and crew performed an emergency go-around on August 4 at 5:44 a.m. after its collision avoidance system detected a government inspection aircraft near Tokyo Haneda. The two planes came within 46 meters vertically and 1,106 meters horizontally before the ANA crew climbed to safety. Japan’s Civil Aviation Bureau ruled the encounter does not qualify as a serious incident, though questions remain about why the inspection plane’s TCAS was not functioning.

What happened in the airspace encounter

ANA Flight NH968 from Shanghai Pudong was descending to land on Runway 34R at 5:44 a.m. when a Cessna Citation CJ4 inspection aircraft (registration JA010G), operated by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, departed from Runway 05 and turned right toward the Miura Peninsula. The inspection aircraft crossed the path of the landing ANA Boeing 767-300ER. The ANA crew’s Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) issued a Resolution Advisory (RA), an instruction to climb immediately. The ANA pilots executed the go-around, climbed to 4,000 feet, and were vectored for another approach. They performed a second go-around from 300 feet before landing safely at 6:10 a.m., 25 minutes behind schedule. All 197 passengers and crew disembarked without injury.

Why the inspection plane’s TCAS did not alert

The government inspection aircraft, known as “Doctor White,” had no TCAS alert during the encounter. According to the transport ministry, the inspection aircraft’s TCAS was not functioning at the time. TCAS II systems on Citation CJ4 aircraft are designed to progressively reduce resolution advisories as altitude decreases, and they stop issuing them entirely below roughly 1,000 feet above ground level. This safety feature prevents the system from commanding maneuvers that could be more dangerous at very low altitudes. At the moment of closest approach, the inspection aircraft was at approximately 295 meters altitude and the ANA aircraft at 330 meters, both below the TCAS RA threshold. Investigators are examining whether the non-functioning TCAS on the inspection aircraft contributed to the loss of separation.

Regulators rule it was not a serious incident

Japan’s Civil Aviation Bureau concluded on August 5 that the encounter does not qualify as a “serious incident” under the Aviation Act, despite the TCAS RA activation on the ANA flight. The bureau stated that both pilots confirmed they had the other aircraft in sight and did not perceive imminent danger. The closest separation occurred after the inspection aircraft had already passed in front of the ANA plane. Because both flight crews maintained visual contact and no imminent collision risk was judged to exist, the encounter fell outside the legal definition of a serious incident. The decision means the Japan Transportation Safety Board will not conduct a formal investigation. However, the transport ministry noted the situation was “not desirable” and stated it will work to improve the safety of the inspection aircraft’s operations.

Air traffic control and coordination questions

Air traffic controllers had informed the inspection aircraft’s crew that ANA Flight NH968 was approaching, according to the ministry. The inspection aircraft received takeoff clearance from Runway 05 at 5:41 a.m., and the conflict occurred three minutes later. The incident raises questions about how the two aircraft came to be on converging tracks despite controller notification. Weather conditions were clear with no visibility problems. The encounter has prompted scrutiny of coordination procedures between inspection flights and commercial traffic at Japan’s busiest airport, which handles both domestic and international operations on multiple runways simultaneously.

Impact on ANA and passenger operations

The August 4 incident was the second go-around for ANA Flight NH968. The first go-around was unrelated to the inspection aircraft encounter. The flight ultimately landed safely after the third approach. ANA reported the incident to the transport ministry as required. The airline has not issued a public statement on the encounter. For investors in ANA, the incident underscores operational risks at congested airports and the critical role of collision avoidance systems, though no injuries or aircraft damage occurred.

Final Thoughts

The August 4 near-miss at Haneda highlights the importance of functioning TCAS systems and clear air traffic coordination, even though Japan’s regulator ruled it not a serious incident. ANA’s crew responded correctly to the collision alert, and all passengers landed safely. The transport ministry will review inspection flight procedures.

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