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Air transportation safety investigation A19Q0015

The TSB has completed this investigation. The report was published on 21 January 2020.

Table of contents

Runway incursion

Aéroports de Montréal
Four Oshkosh Corporation HT Tractors (snowplow-sweepers)
Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, Quebec

View final report

The occurrence

On , a Bombardier CRJ-200 aircraft operated by SkyWest Airlines was on an instrument flight rules flight from Chicago O’Hare International Airport, USA (KORD), to Montréal / Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, Quebec (CYUL). Snow-removal operations had been carried out at CYUL by 3 vehicles on Runway 24R, and the snow-removal convoy was proceeding toward Runway 24L. The lead vehicle of the convoy received and read back the instruction to stay clear of Runway 24L. The aircraft was on final approach for Runway 24L when the lead vehicle incurred on Runway 24L, followed by the other vehicles. The air traffic controller instructed the aircraft crew to abort the approach as the aircraft crossed the runway threshold and was a few hundred feet above the ground. The crew conducted a go-around and returned to Runway 24L, landing safely once the vehicles had cleared the runway. There were no injuries.


Media materials

News release

2020-01-21

Runway incursion by snowplow proceeding through holding position onto active runway
Read the news release


Investigation information

Map showing the location of the occurrence




Investigator-in-Charge

Photo of Jean-Pierre (Jeep) Régnier

Jean-Pierre (Jeep) Régnier is a senior investigator, Standards and Quality Assurance, with the Air Investigations Branch at the TSB head office in Gatineau. He has over 30 years of aviation experience, including 27 years in military aviation in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) as an officer and a helicopter pilot. During those 27 years in the RCAF, he worked as an accident investigator for 5 years. Mr. Régnier gained his flight experience on the CH-124 Sea King and Bell 206 Jet Ranger helicopters. He earned a master’s degree in safety and accident investigation from Cranfield University, United Kingdom, and joined the TSB in 2015.


  Download high-resolution photos from the TSB Flickr page.

Class of investigation

This is a class 3 investigation. These investigations analyze a small number of safety issues, and may result in recommendations. Class 3 investigations are generally completed within 450 days. For more information, see the Policy on Occurrence Classification.

TSB investigation process

There are 3 phases to a TSB investigation

  1. Field phase: a team of investigators examines the occurrence site and wreckage, interviews witnesses and collects pertinent information.
  2. Examination and analysis phase: the TSB reviews pertinent records, tests components of the wreckage in the lab, determines the sequence of events and identifies safety deficiencies. When safety deficiencies are suspected or confirmed, the TSB advises the appropriate authority without waiting until publication of the final report.
  3. Report phase: a confidential draft report is approved by the Board and sent to persons and corporations who are directly concerned by the report. They then have the opportunity to dispute or correct information they believe to be incorrect. The Board considers all representations before approving the final report, which is subsequently released to the public.

For more information, see our Investigation process page.

The TSB is an independent agency that investigates air, marine, pipeline, and rail transportation occurrences. Its sole aim is the advancement of transportation safety. It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability.