Southwest Flight 987 Diversion

[GeoffSM1]

Boeing 737-3H4 (WL), N396SW, Southwest Airlines: Incident occurred December 13, 2015 at San Antonio International Airport (KSAT), Texas

Southwest Airlines Flight 987, en route to Harlingen landed safely at San Antonio International Airport according to airport tower communications following a call of an "aircraft in trouble".
Initial reports were that a piece of the aircraft's wing had fallen off in mid-flight. 

Although primarily posted because of the above incident, there are a couple of other items  of interest included in this audio clip eg -
 
   pilot deviation on to an active runway
   radio problems (prompting the controller to actually say
     'If you can't hear this, stop calling me'   
  No kidding!

[cptbrw]

It was actually a loose flap track canoe that was causing the problem.

http://avherald.com/h?article=490d106b&opt=0

[InterpreDemon]

Well, being that the two airports are only 15 minutes or so apart, they probably used less fuel (and time) flying on to a straight-in at SAT (didn't listen to the whole recording, so I don't know about that end), which was on the way anyway, than setting up and re-entering the AUS pattern. SWA is a whistle-stop airline, so I doubt they ever have more than half a tank aboard their 737's anyway and I'd be willing to bet landing weight was never an issue at all, only a checklist item. If they had to dump fuel for AUS they would have had to dump fuel for SAT as well. They probably figured, "Well, SAT is on the way, they have a plane, so we'll just drop into the next service station, pick up some fresh wings and they can screw that fairing back on."

Besides, that airport in the photo looks like Randolph AFB to me, not AUS, and right where it would belong if I were coming down straight into 22 at SAT from the NE... almost as if I had done it before myself

[JetScan1]

posted by tkibob

There is more than safety in play when this crew decided to divert to SAT with its 8,505' rwy versus dumping fuel and returning to AUS (pictured) with its 12,250' rwy. The ride to SAT must have been a thrill-a-minute, especially for those sitting on the LEFT side.

posted by tkibob

I was referring to the likely conversation that took place between the pilots and the company.  While dumping fuel and getting back on the ground in AUS would certainly have been less stressful for the passengers, it would have cost the company many more $$$ to do so.  I figure a replacement plane was available in SAT and it is sort of along the way to HRL.  Somebody in management made the decision to burn the fuel in flight at the expense of passenger's emotions rather than blow it out the vents and land sooner.  I have to wonder how this person would feel if he were riding in the cattle car, sitting on the left side with his family, eyes fixed on that canoe and imaginations running wild during that long, LONG 57.5nm ride to SAT.  An airline is a for profit business so its SAFETY FIRST (after revenue).

tkibob talking out his ass again,

The Boeing 737 (any model) does not have the capability to dump fuel. Their flightplanned route to HRL was via SAT. By the time they made the decision to divert they were directly overhead SAT (look at the Flightaware track). At that point SAT was the "nearest suitable airport". Bottom line is they landed at the nearest airport in the least amount of time. 

[InterpreDemon]

JS, obviously the 737 modeling in his simulator software is flawed. That could be a VIOLATION of virtual air traffic rules... if one takes off in a simulated aircraft with functions not available on real aircraft. I don't have the VFARs at my fingertips, but I think it is in section U.8.1.2, "No virtual pilot may enter virtual airspace with an imaginary aircraft that has functionality not available in its real-world counterpart, for example ejection seats in a B747, afterburners on a Bonanza or 400 gallon tanks on a Super Cub, unless its avatar is clearly marked 'experimental' ".

This is a matter of virtual SAFETY, not only for the pilot but also for any passengers sitting on the sofa next to him as well as thousands of other pajama-clad professionals manning their basement flight decks. Bragging rights CANNOT (!!!!) be allowed to Trump safety, so to speak. The VATSIM controllers take it very seriously whenever they see a 747 pilot operating recklessly, knowing he can safely bail out before creaming another virtual pilot, or a Bonanza checking in at FL390, Mach .85 in the NY FIR on his way home from Johannesburg.