Multiple probes of Air Canada’s close call on SFO taxiway

The pilot of an Air Canada flight was ordered to abort a nighttime landing at San Francisco International Airport last week after coming 100 feet from hitting two of four commercial planes lined up on a taxiway to take off, Canadian investigators said in a report released Thursday.

The preliminary report by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada found that the Air Canada jet, an Airbus A320 with 140 people aboard, was approaching Taxiway C instead of the adjacent runway when the pilot was ordered to pull out of the landing.

The plane, which had been cleared for landing on Runway 28R by air traffic controllers, was about 100 feet from the first two planes on the taxiway, 200 feet from the third plane in line for takeoff and 300 feet from the last jet waiting to depart when the landing was aborted.

An Air Canada plane almost flew into disaster at San Francisco International Airport on Friday, July 7, 2017. This graphic shows Taxiway C, where the plane nearly landed, and Runway 28R, where the plane eventually landed safely. less An Air Canada plane almost flew into disaster at San Francisco International Airport on Friday, July 7, 2017. This graphic shows Taxiway C, where the plane nearly landed, and Runway 28R, where the plane ... more Photo: John Blanchard / The Chronicle Photo: John Blanchard / The Chronicle Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Multiple probes of Air Canada’s close call on SFO taxiway 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

The aircraft was also determined to be about 29 feet off to the side of the planes at the front of the line on Taxiway C waiting to takeoff, investigators said.

The report also stated that the air traffic controller who was instructing the pilot was “coordinating another facility” at the time of the landing when a crew member from one of the sitting aircraft intervened and asked where the Air Canada jet was going.

The National Transportation Safety Board is planning to send investigators to San Francisco in the next few days to look at what was going on at the time of the incident, said Keith Holloway, a spokesman for NTSB.

“One of the things that I know investigators will probably do is try to talk to air traffic controllers as well as the crew of the incident aircraft,” Holloway said.

The Federal Aviation Administration declined to comment further on the investigation.

The Air Canada jet was instructed by an air traffic controller to reroute and conduct a “go-around” as it approached the runway just before midnight Friday, according to the FAA.

The plane, which was arriving from Toronto, carrying 135 passengers safely circled and landed on Runway 28R, the agency said.

In a statement released Tuesday, Air Canada said the airline is also investigating the incident.

An audio recording captured the moment when the pilot, who was not identified, attempted to make the landing. He said, “Tower, Air Canada 759. I can see lights on the runway there. Can you confirm we’re clear to land?”

An air traffic controller responded, “Air Canada 759, confirmed cleared to land on 28 Right, there is no one on 28 Right but you.”

“OK, Air Canada 759,” the pilot confirmed.

A voice then interjected, “Where is this guy going? He’s on the taxiway.” At that point, the control tower instructed the pilot to abort the landing, go around and make another approach.

Shortly after the pilot changed course to circle around, a United Airlines pilot radioed in to the tower and said, “United 1, Air Canada flew directly over us.”

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani