Air transportation safety investigation A23F0062

Runway excursion on takeoff

WestJet Airlines Ltd.
Boeing 737-7CT, C-GWCN
Harry Reid International Airport, Nevada, United States
16 February 2023

View final report

The occurrence

On 16 February 2023, the WestJet Airlines Ltd. Boeing 737-7CT aircraft (registration C-GWCN, serial number 34157) was conducting flight WJA1447 from Harry Reid International Airport (KLAS), Nevada, United States, to Edmonton International Airport (CYEG), Alberta, with 5 crew members and 109 passengers on board. At approximately 1825 Pacific Standard Time, the aircraft took off while aligned with the right edge of Runway 01R, and its right nosewheel contacted 8 runway edge lights. The flight crew were unaware of the misaligned takeoff and subsequent contact with the edge lights, and the aircraft continued to CYEG, where it landed uneventfully. None of the passengers or crew members were injured. The next day, WestJet Airlines Ltd. maintenance noted minor damage to the right tire on the nose landing gear and replaced both nosewheel tires before releasing the aircraft back to service. The airport operator at KLAS discovered the damage to the runway edge lights 32 hours after the occurrence; it notified the airline operator of the damage to the runway edge lights 8 days after the occurrence.

Media materials

News release

Investigation information

Map showing the location of the occurrence

Investigator-in-charge

Senior Investigator Beverley Harvey works in the International Operations and Major Investigations division of the Air Investigations Branch. Ms. Harvey, who started her career as a pilot in New Zealand, has over 40 years’ civil aviation experience. She was a flight instructor at the Rockcliffe Flying Club in Ottawa before flying single-engine aircraft for Earlton Airways and Wanapitei Airways in Ontario. She subsequently flew the Cessna 402 and Beechcraft 99 aircraft for Austin Airways. At Air Ontario Ms. Harvey flew the de Havilland DHC-8 100 and 300 series aircraft.

Ms. Harvey joined Transport Canada in 2000 and worked as an inspector before joining the TSB in 2008. She is a certified aircraft accident investigator, and completed her training at the University of Southern California. She holds a valid Airline Transport Pilot Licence.

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.