Flight leaving Toronto airport forced to abort takeoff due to nearby landing plane

A plane is silhouetted as it takes off from Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C., Monday, May 13, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

A flight leaving Toronto Pearson International Airport was forced to abort its takeoff after another plane diverted its landing to a nearby runway.

The incident occurred on March 22 around 11 p.m. local time.

• Download our app to get local alerts on your device
• Get the latest local updates right to your inbox

According to a report filed by the Transportation Safety Board (TSB), as a plane operated by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines was getting ready for takeoff, another flight operated by LOT Polish Airlines was in the midst of landing.

It touched down and started to move towards a different runway than planned. This alternative runway was located near the end of the runway where the KLM flight had been cleared for takeoff.

The flight taking off was ordered to abort. According to TSB, the plane was travelling at about 110 knots at the time, which is a little over 200 km/h.

The minimum distance between the two aircrafts was about 5,400 feet. There were no injuries.

The incident has been labelled “classification 5,” which is defined by the TSB as a minor occurrence that does not require in-depth investigation. There is likelihood of identifying new safety lessons, the TSB said, but the incident attracts “limited public interest outside of the immediate area.”