Dreamlifter lands at wrong airport

[pvupilot]

Not much from the news outlets on the web yet but a Dreamlifter landed at the wrong airport tonight. Atlas 4241 landed at Jabara instead of McConnel AFB. Pictures on social websites starter popping up so I decided to find the audio for it.

[sykocus]

What a cluster foxtrot. I think it's telling that that when he checked on he started to say he was on the visual approach (what he was doing?) then said RNAV approach (what he was cleared for/supposed be doing?)

I tried to overlay the RNAV IAB to he said he was doing with the ILS to AAO (AAO in red). I was able to match up the plan view up with a couple of common obstructions. The profile views were not drawn to the same scale so they are just a probably very inaccurate. I does look as though the AAO final  is almost directly underneath the IAB final.

[w0x0f]

I found this news item.  LivetATC.net gets proper attribution.  http://www.kwch.com/news/local-news/boeing-dreamlifter-lands-at-jabara/-/21054266/23081256/-/oma90hz/-/index.html

[Jimmer_T]

The pilot on the radio sounds either confused or distracted right from the get go on this clip. Interesting as well that that he indicated they were on the wrong approach, and then continued to land. I'm sure there were other factors in play, regardsless, as Ricky would say, . . .
"Lucy, you got some 'splaining to do". . . .

[dan9125]

Looks like it filed a flight plan for around noon (CST) today.
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/GTI4241/history/20131121/1800Z/KAAO/KIAB

[JetScan1]

I does look as though the AAO final  is almost directly underneath the IAB final.

At the 09:05 mark on the 0300-0300Z "KICT Approach (East)" archive, you can hear the flight checking on with approach. They get cleared direct to WITBA, then at around the 12:10 mark they are 25 miles from the airport and cleared for the RNV GPS approach to runway 19L with the restriction to cross WITBA at 4000 feet.

WITBA is directly on the approach course to runway 18 at KAAO around 6.6nm from the threshold. It's interesting to note that the 4000 foot restriction at WITBA puts them well below a standard 3 degree glidepath for runway 19L at KIAB, but would be very close to the correct glidepath to runway 18 at KAAO.

So as they turned final over WITBA at 4000 feet they would have seen a runway directly in front of them with a PAPI showing them very close to a correct vertical profile. Also if WITBA was coded or entered at 4000 in the FMS their vertical deviation indicator on the Primary Flight Display would have shown them on the correct profile at that point.

Once they landed on runway 18 it appears they stayed on the runway and it also looks like one plane landed (Cessna Conquest) and one plane (Beach Baron) took off on the same runway, apparently before they figured out the B747 was even there !? Note the comment to Tower about a light twin aircraft that had just flown over top of us. The airport was then closed shortly after causing a Starcheck flight to divert.

[iskyfly]

I hope the same crew that CF'd this isn't the crew that is going to ferry this back to McConnel.

They were confused from the get go. There is going to be a lot of paperwork to fill out. They have way too much on their minds. They are not fit to fly.

[Brad G.]

They are not fit to fly.

That's a pretty bold statement for an outside observer with what I assume is no first-hand knowledge of any/all of the contributing factors to make.

[iskyfly]

wrong.

[aimana007]

wrong.

Unless you were in the cockpit, ARTCC, tower, NTSB investigator or Commercial CFI-I, directly involved in the investigation of this incident you are wholly unqualified to make a statement like that. Even if you were one of the above, you'd know better than to jump to such bold conclusions. SWA4678 is right, please keep those kind of comments to yourself, the MSM read this forum and you know those people: A less experienced reporter may take something said here way out of context.

[aimana007]

I'm surprised that nobody has posted the ATC radio chatter when he took off the next day.

I speculate that it may be pretty boring "all business" since they know world + dog will be watching & listening.

From the video and images I saw posted online of his takeoff , the #1 & 4 fans were hanging out over the lawn pretty far. He blasted all sorts of debris up into the air when he started his roll. I am also curious if the PIC calculated and set a "Assumed Temperature Derate" performance power setting for the takeoff, or he gave it full TOGA power.

[StuSEL]

It's a mistake rooted in human factors. There have been a number of similar incidents involving wrong-airport landings at night over the last several years. I'll bet if these guys are flying the Dreamlifter that they've got some significant experience under their belts. Making a mistake like that can be deadly, but it doesn't mean the pilots aren't fit to fly.

[flyflyfly]

ATC audio of the landing at McConnell is attached.
No frills though. They could have thought of many funny one-liners (welcome to the right airport, you're late - where have you been, ...). But they knew better and remained strictly professional.

[aimana007]

ATC audio of the landing at McConnell is attached.
No frills though. They could have thought of many funny one-liners (welcome to the right airport, you're late - where have you been, ...). But they knew better and remained strictly professional.

Ahh, as I expected. Crisp and professional. Too bad they didn't release the hounds, they could have gotten some good mileage out of it here on LATC.