{"id":85601,"date":"2025-03-08T17:25:55","date_gmt":"2025-03-08T11:55:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/?p=85601"},"modified":"2025-03-08T17:26:03","modified_gmt":"2025-03-08T11:56:03","slug":"qantaslink-aircraft-strikes-runway-lights-amid-pilot-mistake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/08\/qantaslink-aircraft-strikes-runway-lights-amid-pilot-mistake\/","title":{"rendered":"QantasLink Aircraft Strikes Runway Lights Amid Pilot Mistake"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>MILDURA-<\/strong> A <a href=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/tag\/qantaslink\/\">QantasLink (QF)<\/a> aircraft mistakenly lined up with runway edge lights instead of the centre line during take-off at <a href=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/?s=Mildura\">Mildura Airport (MQL)<\/a>, damaging multiple lights over a 400-metre stretch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite this, the pilots realigned and proceeded to <a href=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/tag\/melbourne-airport\/\">Melbourne (MEL)<\/a>, where minor damage was discovered upon landing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Investigations are ongoing, with both pilots stood down, and authorities examining the misalignment causes and regulatory implications. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One pilot has tested positive for an unprescribed medication, prompting mandatory testing and further scrutiny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/1600px-QantasLink_VH-SBB_Bombardier_DHC-8-315Q_Dash_8_in_new_QantasLink__new_roo__livery_taxiing_at_Wagga_Wagga_Airport_1-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-42832\" srcset=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/1600px-QantasLink_VH-SBB_Bombardier_DHC-8-315Q_Dash_8_in_new_QantasLink__new_roo__livery_taxiing_at_Wagga_Wagga_Airport_1-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/1600px-QantasLink_VH-SBB_Bombardier_DHC-8-315Q_Dash_8_in_new_QantasLink__new_roo__livery_taxiing_at_Wagga_Wagga_Airport_1-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/1600px-QantasLink_VH-SBB_Bombardier_DHC-8-315Q_Dash_8_in_new_QantasLink__new_roo__livery_taxiing_at_Wagga_Wagga_Airport_1-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/1600px-QantasLink_VH-SBB_Bombardier_DHC-8-315Q_Dash_8_in_new_QantasLink__new_roo__livery_taxiing_at_Wagga_Wagga_Airport_1-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/1600px-QantasLink_VH-SBB_Bombardier_DHC-8-315Q_Dash_8_in_new_QantasLink__new_roo__livery_taxiing_at_Wagga_Wagga_Airport_1-750x500.jpeg 750w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/1600px-QantasLink_VH-SBB_Bombardier_DHC-8-315Q_Dash_8_in_new_QantasLink__new_roo__livery_taxiing_at_Wagga_Wagga_Airport_1-1140x760.jpeg 1140w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/1600px-QantasLink_VH-SBB_Bombardier_DHC-8-315Q_Dash_8_in_new_QantasLink__new_roo__livery_taxiing_at_Wagga_Wagga_Airport_1.jpeg 1599w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-qantaslink-aircraft-strikes-runway-lights\">QantasLink Aircraft Strikes Runway Lights<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In the early hours of February 25, a QantasLink Dash-8 aircraft departing from Mildura Airport (MQL) mistakenly followed the runway\u2019s edge lights instead of the centre line. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/tag\/atsb\/\">Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB)<\/a> reported that the QantasLink aircraft strikes seven runway lights over a 400-metre stretch before the pilots corrected their alignment and proceeded with the flight to Melbourne Airport (MEL).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Upon arrival, an inspection revealed minor damage to the turboprop aircraft. The ATSB initiated an investigation into the \u201cmisaligned take-off,\u201d gathering evidence to determine contributing factors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The investigation is in its preliminary stages, with a full report expected in six weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Following the incident, both pilots were subjected to mandatory drug and alcohol testing, as required for aviation safety incidents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The captain tested positive for a prescription medication for which he lacked a valid prescription. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Under Australian regulations, any pilot who returns a positive test must be reported to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), although CASA has not provided further comment on the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As part of the investigation, the airline has stood down both pilots while regulatory authorities, including the ATSB and CASA, continue their assessments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Qantas has stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation but has refrained from additional comments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/50713317078_21e5f27ac2_k-1024x683.webp\" alt=\"Qantaslink (QF\/QLK) \u2013 Australia Dash 8\" class=\"wp-image-85619\" srcset=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/50713317078_21e5f27ac2_k-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/50713317078_21e5f27ac2_k-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/50713317078_21e5f27ac2_k-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/50713317078_21e5f27ac2_k-50x33.webp 50w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/50713317078_21e5f27ac2_k-1600x1066.webp 1600w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/50713317078_21e5f27ac2_k-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/50713317078_21e5f27ac2_k-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/50713317078_21e5f27ac2_k-450x300.webp 450w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/50713317078_21e5f27ac2_k-1200x800.webp 1200w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/50713317078_21e5f27ac2_k.webp 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo: Mitchell R Hope | Flickr<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Similar Incidents<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This is not an isolated case. The ATSB is also examining three other \u201cmisaligned take-off incidents\u201d that occurred at <a href=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/tag\/Perth-Airport\/\">Perth Airport (PER)<\/a> over a 10-month span ending in April last year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Two of these incidents involved aircraft striking runway lighting, raising concerns about recurring safety lapses in regional and major airports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Authorities are assessing whether procedural adjustments, pilot training enhancements, or infrastructural changes are necessary to prevent such incidents in the future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The findings from these investigations will likely influence regulatory decisions and operational policies for QantasLink and broader Australian aviation safety protocols.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/1620px-QantasLink_VH-TQX_de_Havilland_Canada_DHC-8-202Q_Dash_8_at_Sydney_Airport-1024x683.webp\" alt=\"Qantaslink Dash-8 Aircraft Hits Strikes Runway Lights Due to Misalignment\" class=\"wp-image-85623\" srcset=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/1620px-QantasLink_VH-TQX_de_Havilland_Canada_DHC-8-202Q_Dash_8_at_Sydney_Airport-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/1620px-QantasLink_VH-TQX_de_Havilland_Canada_DHC-8-202Q_Dash_8_at_Sydney_Airport-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/1620px-QantasLink_VH-TQX_de_Havilland_Canada_DHC-8-202Q_Dash_8_at_Sydney_Airport-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/1620px-QantasLink_VH-TQX_de_Havilland_Canada_DHC-8-202Q_Dash_8_at_Sydney_Airport-50x33.webp 50w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/1620px-QantasLink_VH-TQX_de_Havilland_Canada_DHC-8-202Q_Dash_8_at_Sydney_Airport-1600x1067.webp 1600w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/1620px-QantasLink_VH-TQX_de_Havilland_Canada_DHC-8-202Q_Dash_8_at_Sydney_Airport-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/1620px-QantasLink_VH-TQX_de_Havilland_Canada_DHC-8-202Q_Dash_8_at_Sydney_Airport-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/1620px-QantasLink_VH-TQX_de_Havilland_Canada_DHC-8-202Q_Dash_8_at_Sydney_Airport-450x300.webp 450w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/1620px-QantasLink_VH-TQX_de_Havilland_Canada_DHC-8-202Q_Dash_8_at_Sydney_Airport-1200x800.webp 1200w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/1620px-QantasLink_VH-TQX_de_Havilland_Canada_DHC-8-202Q_Dash_8_at_Sydney_Airport.webp 1620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo: By Bidgee &#8211; Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=72800554<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-industry-response\">Industry Response<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>QantasLink has launched an internal review of its operational procedures at Mildura Airport and is working closely with the ATSB and CASA. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The ATSB will publish a preliminary report within six weeks, outlining evidence gathered and areas for further investigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As scrutiny on aviation safety intensifies, the industry awaits potential recommendations to enhance procedural compliance, pilot training, and airport infrastructure to mitigate misalignment risks during take-offs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Join us on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/t.me\/s\/aviationa2z\" rel=\"nofollow\">Telegram Group\u00a0<\/a>for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMPLdrgsw_-jGAw?hl=en-IN&amp;gl=IN&amp;ceid=IN%3Aen\">Google News<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-aviation-a-2-z wp-block-embed-aviation-a-2-z\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"z7ORfOKsTL\"><a href=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/26\/qantas-flight-makes-emergency-landing-in-cairns\/\">Qantas Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Cairns After Fumes from Mysterious Fluid<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Qantas Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Cairns After Fumes from Mysterious Fluid&#8221; &#8212; Aviation A2Z\" src=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/26\/qantas-flight-makes-emergency-landing-in-cairns\/embed\/#?secret=vDJx2Sr6va#?secret=z7ORfOKsTL\" data-secret=\"z7ORfOKsTL\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A QantasLink (QF) aircraft mistakenly lined up with runway edge lights instead of the centre line during take-off at Mildura Airport (MQL), damaging multiple lights over a 400-metre stretch.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":149,"featured_media":85620,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7215,7218,6761,34],"tags":[3567,16526,5975,13228,11880,516,14844,8031,6481,4321],"class_list":{"0":"post-85601","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-airline-news","8":"category-international-aviation-news","9":"category-news","10":"category-pilot","11":"tag-atsb","12":"tag-bombardier-dash-8-q400-crash","13":"tag-casa-cn-235","14":"tag-melbourne-airport","15":"tag-perth-airport","16":"tag-qantas","17":"tag-qantas-news","18":"tag-qantas-news-today","19":"tag-qantaslink","20":"tag-takeoff"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85601","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/149"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=85601"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85601\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":85634,"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85601\/revisions\/85634"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/85620"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=85601"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=85601"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=85601"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}