Thu, Mar 27, 2014
Follows Two High-Profile Incidents Involving Transport Category Airplanes
Following two recent incidents in which transport category airplanes landed at the wrong airports, the National Transportation Safety Board has issued a Safety Alert to remind pilots of the vigilance required to avoid such potentially catastrophic mistakes.
The latest Safety Alert, “Landing at the Wrong Airport,” cites the January 2014 incident in which a Southwest Airlines 737 landed at the wrong airport in Branson, Missouri; and the November 2013 incident in which a Boeing 747 cargo plane landed on a 6,100-foot runway instead of the 12,000-foot one at its intended airport 12 miles away.
Wrong airport landings present serious safety hazards, including the risk of overrun because a misidentified runway may not be long enough to accommodate the landing airplane, and the risk of collision with other aircraft due to an unexpected incursion into the runway environment.
“All of us have experienced a loss of situational awareness at some time, but the consequences for pilots mistaking a nearby airport for the intended one, or landing on the wrong runway or a taxiway, can have catastrophic consequences,” said NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman, “which is why it’s so important to maintain a vigilant approach to following procedures throughout every flight.”
The Safety Alert outlines five measures pilots can take to avoid a wrong airport landing, and provides additional flight safety resources.
More News
Takeoff Roll The process whereby an aircraft is aligned with the runway centerline and the aircraft is moving with the intent to take off. For helicopters, this pertains to the act>[...]
“We’re proud of the hard work that went into receiving this validation, and it will be a welcome relief to our customers in the European Union. We couldn’t be mor>[...]
"Aircraft Spruce is pleased to announce the acquisition of the parts distribution operations of Wag-Aero. Wag-Aero was founded in the 1960’s by Dick and Bobbie Wagner in the >[...]
IDENT Feature The special feature in the Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System (ATCRBS) equipment. It is used to immediately distinguish one displayed beacon target from other be>[...]
Aero Linx: Pararescue Air Force Pararescuemen, also known as PJs, are the only DoD elite combat forces specifically organized, trained, equipped, and postured to conduct full spect>[...]