Southwest Airlines lands at wrong Branson Airport

[N201MKTurbo]

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XWxF7Tp5nCM&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DXWxF7Tp5nCM

[bonal]

YAHOOOOO

[Hank]

That pilot had quite an audience!

[carusoam]

Front row seats as well!

-a-

[chrisk]

I want to know if the pilot gave it a few practice runs at another air field before going for it.

[jetdriven]

I just watched the takeoff video. Ran the engines up to full throttle, no waiting for Vr the nose wheel was off the ground after about 100 feet. It looked like they lowered the nose to stay in ground effects then maybe touched down for an instant and off they went with plenty of runway left.

That looked like a normal ops light weight full thrust takeoff. A light guppy is pretty sporty.

[201er]

As Mooney pilots, would you guys not have the sense to go around if you were expecting a 3000ft runway and came up on a 1500ft runway instead!? I'm just shocked they went ahead with the landing.

[jetdriven]

At night and differing runway light configurations at times it is impossible to distinguish a short narrow runway from a long wide one.

[flyboy0681]

At night and differing runway light configurations at times it is impossible to distinguish a short narrow runway from a long wide one.

 

I think they were in the mindset that they were in the right place and didn't give runway length any thought.

[wishboneash]

Still don't get it. One is a controlled airport the other is uncontrolled. Can't recall if the tower was closed, but still different frequencies, runway orientation etc. etc. Did they just broadcast in the blind and land? Perhaps liveATC has the voice communications.

[flyboy0681]

It seems to b

 

Still don't get it. One is a controlled airport the other is uncontrolled. Can't recall if the tower was closed, but still different frequencies, runway orientation etc. etc. Did they just broadcast in the blind and land? Perhaps liveATC has the voice communications.

 

It seems to be a series of errors. I heard that approach handed them off to the tower and they were cleared to land. What hasn't been released yet is whether the tower was looking for them.

[bnicolette]

As Mooney pilots, would you guys not have the sense to go around if you were expecting a 3000ft runway and came up on a 1500ft runway instead!? I'm just shocked they went ahead with the landing.

 

Keep in mind Mike that you are moving at 70 knots (excuse me, you have the AOA, I meant 67.3589 knots on final,  ) as opposed to 1?? knots.

It is tough to imagine this sort of thing happening as frequently as it seems to be.  I'm sure we've all had the wrong airport in our sights but eventually figured out that it just wasn't adding up before we got too close.  Feel bad for those guys and just hope they have fatigue on their side.

[Marauder]

Keep in mind Mike that you are moving at 70 knots (excuse me, you have the AOA, I meant 67.3589 knots on final,  ) as opposed to 1?? knots.

It is tough to imagine this sort of thing happening as frequently as it seems to be.  I'm sure we've all had the wrong airport in our sights but eventually figured out that it just wasn't adding up before we got too close.  Feel bad for those guys and just hope they have fatigue on their side.

 

I wondered how long it would take for one you corporate types to chime in How's Florida?

 

What I don't get is that situational awareness is Pilot Training 101. I remember on my first flight the instructor asking me, "So where is the airport?". Even if you are on a visual, don't you guys load up the approach for the airport to aid in tracking your position? I realize speed and traveling to a bunch of new airports add to the potential for error, but we are talking about professionals...

 

Oh, you transposed a couple of numbers on Mike's speed. It is 67.5389 knots on final.

[bnicolette]

I wondered how long it would take for one you corporate types to chime in How's Florida?

 

What I don't get is that situational awareness is Pilot Training 101. I remember on my first flight the instructor asking me, "So where is the airport?". Even if you are on a visual, don't you guys load up the approach for the airport to aid in tracking your position? I realize speed and traveling to a bunch of new airports add to the potential for error, but we are talking about professionals...

 

Oh, you transposed a couple of numbers on Mike's speed. It is 67.5389 knots on final.

Back home!

 

I can't say what the 121 guys do, but Byron can.  (and I have no idea what equipment they have onboard) However, yes we always back up with what is available even on CAVU days/nights.  Especially during night time and if there's no ILS then we will load in the GPS approach, if for nothing else to get a vnav to the runway.  

[N201MKTurbo]

I would have to seriously knock on some wood before I would second guess what happened on this flight.

 

The best pilots in the world are not perfect or they would not need the plane....

[201er]

Keep in mind Mike that you are moving at 70 knots (excuse me, you have the AOA, I meant 67.3589 knots on final,  ) as opposed to 1?? knots.

It is tough to imagine this sort of thing happening as frequently as it seems to be.  I'm sure we've all had the wrong airport in our sights but eventually figured out that it just wasn't adding up before we got too close.  Feel bad for those guys and just hope they have fatigue on their side.

Brett, I'm less shocked that they landed at the wrong airport than not realizing that the runway was running out at twice the normal rate....!!!! I bet at 140knots, this would be an even more drastic picture.

[phecksel]

Dependency on GPS?

 

I thought SOP was to tune in the localizer, even in CAVU

[Guest]

A fine display of airmanship. Similar to Air France, Northwest, Asiana and Boeing.

[Dave Marten]

Perhaps they were the Asiana crew from San Francisco?

Nope - The SW crew had no trouble with the night visual landing on a small runway. Unfortunate incident, but at least those boys have got some flying skills! Infact perhaps after they taxied clear they said "Take that Asiana!"

 

Had I been a passenger I'd much rather land safely on the wrong runway then crash on the right one!

 

I'll book on SW anytime!

[moodychief]

Nope - The SW crew had no trouble with the night visual landing on a small runway. Unfortunate incident, but at least those boys have got some flying skills! Infact perhaps after they taxied clear they said "Take that Asiana!"

 

Had I been a passenger I'd much rather land safely on the wrong runway then crash on the right one!

 

I'll book on SW anytime!

They had to shut down on the runway because the taxiways aren't built for an aircraft that large. The next day they took off in the opposite direction with a 9 knot headwind straight down the runway.

[RJBrown]

I book SW every time I can. $36 to $41 each way DEN to PHX with 100# of checked baggage. If I book more than 2 weeks out.

 It would be tough to missplace either of those airports.

[1964-M20E]

A guy I work with, his friend works for SW and is one of their flight instructors and he flew the plane out of there.  Working on meeting him sometime soon.

[Mooneymite]

Dependency on GPS?

 

I thought SOP was to tune in the localizer, even in CAVU

Doesn't matter what you have tuned in....if you are concentrating outside the cockpit on a visual.

There's a lesson there. These pilots were not 3000 hour newbies. They were among the best pilots SWA could hire. If they can make that mistake, any of us can.

[DAVIDWH]

I don't worry about the wrong airports. I just worry about the wrong runways.

[bnicolette]

There's a lesson there. These pilots were not 3000 hour newbies. They were among the best pilots SWA could hire. If they can make that mistake, any of us can.

 

Not to be a devils advocate but I have learned not to equate a pilots skills to their total time.  Complacency is the real culprit here.