Just guessing here: Could it be because the clearance between the runway and one (or both) of the planes on the taxiway didn't give enough clearance? David R > My question is why this would necessitate the shutting down of the runway if > the incursion took place on a taxiway? > > Mark > > > Tokyo's Narita Airport had to close one of its two runways for nearly an hour > on Wednesday after an incoming plane ended up facing an outgoing aircraft on > the taxiway, airport officials said. > > The two planes -- a KLM Royal Dutch Airlines passenger aircraft arriving from > Amsterdam and a South Korean Asiana Airlines plane preparing to depart for > Incheon -- were taxiing towards each other, the officials said. They did not > collide. > > The runway at Japan's main international air hub just north of Tokyo was > closed for about an hour while workers removed the planes, they said. > > "We still don't know why it happened. Investigations are under way," one of > the officials said.