AT740 - Incident: Royal Maroc B738 at Marrakesh on Oct 5th 2023

A Royal Air Maroc Boeing 737-800, registration CN-RGH performing flight AT-740 from Marrakesh (Morocco) to Paris Orly (France), was taxiing for departure from Marrakesh's runway 28 but crossed the hold short line on taxiway C1 without clearance at about 16:36L (15:36Z). The aircraft only stopped on the runway edge.

At that very time a Ryanair Boeing 737-800, registration EI-EVA performing flight FR-1350 from Marrakesh (Morocco) to Nimes (France), was accelerating on Marrakesh's runway 10, cleared for takeoff. The aircraft climbed over CN-RGH out to safety and continued to Nimes without further incident.

CN-RGH departed runway 28 about 5 minutes later.

A listener on frequency reported a lot of screaming by the Moroccan crew could be heard on frequency with tower calming them stating that everything was recorded.

ADS-B data suggest the Ryanair rotated about 650 meters/2150 feet before the intersection with taxiway C1 and crossed the intersection at a height of about 170 feet AGL.

On Oct 21st 2023 The Aviation Herald received an ATC audio recording making clear, that after clearing the Ryanair for takeoff from runway 10 tower issued departure instructions in English from runway 28 to AT-740, however, no clearance to line up or takeoff. The crew subsequently read back their departure clearance in English but added they were cleared to line up and takeoff. In the first readback tower did not get that readback and queried the crew, who read back they were cleared to line up and take off a second time, at which point tower instructed to hold position, the crew acknowledged and held position, however, within the protected area of the runway and according to ADS-B already on the runway edge. Subsequently a discussion in French between tower and AT-740 arose in which tower made clear that the Air Maroc had not been cleared for line up or takeoff but had only received their departure instructions.

Related Flight: AT740, Royal Air Maroc News