A near-catastrophe at Honolulu International Airport exposed a long-standing safety issue that remains unresolved. The final report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was recently released. The findings detail the January 23, 2023, incident involving United Airlines flight 384 from Denver to Honolulu, operated by a Boeing 777, and a Kamaka Air Cessna 208B Caravan arriving from Lihue. The report highlights serious concerns about the airport’s outdated layout and systemic risks.
A moment of panic on the runway.
The incident unfolded when United Flight 384 from Denver landed on runway 4R at Honolulu. Air traffic control instructed the pilots to “hold short of” (not go into) runway 4L, and the first officer correctly acknowledged receiving that instruction.
However, as the aircraft exited onto the taxiway (K), the captain misjudged the stopping distance. The Boeing 777 crossed the required hold-short line for 4L, entering an active intersection as a Kamaka Air Cessna 208B was landing on runway 4L.
The two aircraft came within 1,173 feet of each other. While that might seem like a safe margin, in aviation terms, it was dangerously close. The captain later described being startled at how quickly they reached the intersection. By the time the error was realized, the aircraft had already gone too far.
A known problem that wasn’t fixed.
Taxiway K has long been identified as a high-risk area at Honolulu Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had flagged it as a “hot spot” where pilots frequently fail to stop at the same designated hold-short line. The NTSB report confirmed that Honolulu’s taxiway layout does not meet modern safety standards and contributes to the risk of incursions.
One of the key findings was that United’s moving map display did not indicate that widebody aircraft like the Boeing 777 should avoid taxiway K. This critical omission contributed to the crew’s misjudgment. While the pre-flight planning charts included the restriction, the in-cockpit navigation system did not, leading to a breakdown in situational awareness.
The human factor: pilot expectation bias.
Another major issue was what was termed an expectation bias. The captain assumed the aircraft would need a longer amount of runway before turning off onto a taxiway. When the aircraft slowed more quickly than he expected, the captain instinctively turned onto the taxiway without fully registering the hold-short requirement…