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Plane Lands At Wrong Airport!
How can this happen?
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Not the first time either there was a similar event a few weeks back again in the USA.
http://
Not the first time either there was a similar event a few weeks back again in the USA.
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It's not just the Americans. Irish pilots seem to have the same problem:
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Perhaps Clanad will come along and offer some information?
http://
Perhaps Clanad will come along and offer some information?
Looking at the information given on
http://
re this incident, specifically the following:
[i]Graham Clark Airport features a runway 12/30 with 3738 feet/1140 meters length with only GPS/RNAV approach procedures published, Branson Airport features a runway 14/32 with 7140 feet/2175 meters length with an ILS approach to runway 32 and a GPS/RNAV approach to runway 14.[i]
I would suggest it could be another of the Irish Incident has occured, i.e the pilot had both runways in his observable sight line, and unfortunately for the passengers "chose" the "wrong" runway.
This could be easily done as the approach vectors to both being within an arc of
http://
re this incident, specifically the following:
[i]Graham Clark Airport features a runway 12/30 with 3738 feet/1140 meters length with only GPS/RNAV approach procedures published, Branson Airport features a runway 14/32 with 7140 feet/2175 meters length with an ILS approach to runway 32 and a GPS/RNAV approach to runway 14.[i]
I would suggest it could be another of the Irish Incident has occured, i.e the pilot had both runways in his observable sight line, and unfortunately for the passengers "chose" the "wrong" runway.
This could be easily done as the approach vectors to both being within an arc of
Thanks for your vote of confidence, Chris... This type of event happens on occasion... not often, but does happen.
The flight originated in Chicago, which means that on its arrival in the Branson, MO area (southwest Missouri, about 60 miles from Springfield, the closest larger city) it would have been roughly at a 90 degree angle to both airports... i.e., Branson Municipal and Clark Downtown. It's entirely probable that neither the pilot nor the co-pilot (Captain and Second-in-command for a more technically correct description) had been to the Branson area for quite a while, if ever. For those pilots that haven't been to a particular airport, they can brief themselves with pictorials and, of course, the ever present instrument approach charts for the particular airport.
It appears that both had thir heads "up and locked" and responded to the first visual contact with an airport, which just happened to be the Clark Downtown one, not unlike 'Nibble's' suggestion. (Both were southwest of the small town of Branson).
This was further compounded by the fact that the Air Traffic Control Tower at Branson closed at 2100 (local time) and the flight arrived about 2200, so they had no communication with the ground based facility, nor would they have expected any. The other smaller airport had no control tower at any time.
The flight would have been talking to Springfield, MO Approach Control, who assisted getting them to the area (along with GPS or other guidance) but once they told Springfield they had the airport in sight, they were on their own. The runways at both airports are nearly identical running northwest to southeast (oriented with the prevailing winds) and only about 6 miles apart. Weather doesn't appear to have been a factor.
I'll have to say that regardless of the mistake, they displayed typical Southwest Airlines pilot airmanship in landing their airplane at such a small airport safely. Although the "pucker factor" (pilot lingo for self-induced stress)) was probably fairly noticeable to both. Southwest is generally known, here in the U.S., for the quality of airplane handling among its crews. That along with the fact that the airplane was one of Mr. Boeing's finest... the B-737, first certificated in about 1965... it's well proven for structural quality.
By the way, Chris, I see your congratulatory message re: SandyRoe's reaching the 1,000 mark for 'Best Answers'... but you my friend, aren't far behind with 982! Good going!
The flight originated in Chicago, which means that on its arrival in the Branson, MO area (southwest Missouri, about 60 miles from Springfield, the closest larger city) it would have been roughly at a 90 degree angle to both airports... i.e., Branson Municipal and Clark Downtown. It's entirely probable that neither the pilot nor the co-pilot (Captain and Second-in-command for a more technically correct description) had been to the Branson area for quite a while, if ever. For those pilots that haven't been to a particular airport, they can brief themselves with pictorials and, of course, the ever present instrument approach charts for the particular airport.
It appears that both had thir heads "up and locked" and responded to the first visual contact with an airport, which just happened to be the Clark Downtown one, not unlike 'Nibble's' suggestion. (Both were southwest of the small town of Branson).
This was further compounded by the fact that the Air Traffic Control Tower at Branson closed at 2100 (local time) and the flight arrived about 2200, so they had no communication with the ground based facility, nor would they have expected any. The other smaller airport had no control tower at any time.
The flight would have been talking to Springfield, MO Approach Control, who assisted getting them to the area (along with GPS or other guidance) but once they told Springfield they had the airport in sight, they were on their own. The runways at both airports are nearly identical running northwest to southeast (oriented with the prevailing winds) and only about 6 miles apart. Weather doesn't appear to have been a factor.
I'll have to say that regardless of the mistake, they displayed typical Southwest Airlines pilot airmanship in landing their airplane at such a small airport safely. Although the "pucker factor" (pilot lingo for self-induced stress)) was probably fairly noticeable to both. Southwest is generally known, here in the U.S., for the quality of airplane handling among its crews. That along with the fact that the airplane was one of Mr. Boeing's finest... the B-737, first certificated in about 1965... it's well proven for structural quality.
By the way, Chris, I see your congratulatory message re: SandyRoe's reaching the 1,000 mark for 'Best Answers'... but you my friend, aren't far behind with 982! Good going!
right, just memorise this, wolf
http://
http://
//The flight would have been talking to Springfield, MO Approach Control, who assisted getting them to the area (along with GPS or other guidance) but once they told Springfield they had the airport in sight, they were on their own. The runways at both airports are nearly identical running northwest to southeast (oriented with the prevailing winds) and only about 6 miles apart. Weather doesn't appear to have been a factor. //
But surely if MO Approach Control,knows that these two airports are so close together , their policy should have been to continue monitoring the airplane , ( even if they say they have the airport in sight ) in order to ensure that it is approaching to land at the intended airport
But surely if MO Approach Control,knows that these two airports are so close together , their policy should have been to continue monitoring the airplane , ( even if they say they have the airport in sight ) in order to ensure that it is approaching to land at the intended airport
As Clannad has pointed out in his post, This was further compounded by the fact that the Air Traffic Control Tower at Branson closed at 2100 (local time) and the flight arrived about 2200, so they had no communication with the ground based facility, nor would they have expected any.
If the pilot had advised the supervisor at MO Approach Control that he had the airport in sight and was on the flight path, then approach control would have assumed, either rightly or wrongly, that the aircraft WAS lined up on the correct airfield, and without corroberation from a unmanned Air Traffic control at the receiving airport, would have no reason to doubt the pilots word.
Hence, the mistake is arrived at, IMHO.
If the pilot had advised the supervisor at MO Approach Control that he had the airport in sight and was on the flight path, then approach control would have assumed, either rightly or wrongly, that the aircraft WAS lined up on the correct airfield, and without corroberation from a unmanned Air Traffic control at the receiving airport, would have no reason to doubt the pilots word.
Hence, the mistake is arrived at, IMHO.
This url has a depiction of the flight's enroute course from Chicago:
http://
Position of Branson and Clark Downton Airports:
https:/
On this link you can easily see Branson at the lower part of the picture... Clark Downtown is one the southeast side of the first bend of the river nearer the top of the picture... North is up
http://
Position of Branson and Clark Downton Airports:
https:/
On this link you can easily see Branson at the lower part of the picture... Clark Downtown is one the southeast side of the first bend of the river nearer the top of the picture... North is up
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