Jetstar Airbus A320 narrowly avoids van on Townsville runway, ATSB launches probe

A Jetstar Airbus A320 inbound from Brisbane on 7 October sighted a white van close to the edge of Townsville Airport’s runway and passed over it with an estimated 15 m clearance before touching down. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has labeled the episode a “serious incident” and opened an investigation, while Jetstar said the aircraft landed safely and is working with the ATSB. Townsville Airport, owned by Queensland Airports Limited and operated as a joint-user facility with the Australian Defence Force, provides air-traffic control through the Australian Air Force.

This near miss follows a string of recent safety concerns at the airport, including a performance-calculation error on a Jetstar departure, a Qantas low-fuel mayday, and a separate near-collision involving a Dash-8 and an Aeroprakt aircraft. Safety expert Sidney Dekker of Griffith University cautioned against speculation until the investigations conclude, noting the incident’s rarity and the pilots’ decisive action as a positive sign of system resilience.