C-17 lands at Peter O'Night instead of MacDill

I swore for years this would never happen to me. Back it up with the ILS and it can't happen...

Years ago, was doing a visual into RFD runway 1 one dark night as a 727 F/O and approach was asking us to call the airport. My leg. I saw a runway and called it. Was behind the airplane getting configured and slowed down. Capt was with me. He was probably more concerned with me getting on speed and configured than checking the ILS backup. The F/E? Who knows where he was. ATC? Well, we called the tower kinda late and they came back with "Looks like you're lined up with 7, instead of 1, but you're cleared to land....

We were like, chit, how did that happen? It happens cause your tired, cause approach is wanting you to visual (life is easier for them), and cause at some point you see a runway that looks inviting (might not be the right one). ATC "saved" us with the landing clearance for 7, but I would have landed on the runway I was looking at. We were so busy getting down we didn't crosscheck the ILS. Stupid. Now that I'm a wise old Capt (haha), I don't do visuals at night unless I'm pretty much already lined up and don't let ATC pressure me into a visual.

The main take away is don't let ATC pressure you into a visual unless you are REALLY sure what you are seeing (maybe have been there multiple times) and when you back up the visual with an approach, be sure to verify the needles agree with what your seeing off the nose.
 
DE727UPS said:
The main take away is don't let ATC pressure you into a visual unless you are REALLY sure what you are seeing (maybe have been there multiple times) and when you back up the visual with an approach, be sure to verify the needles agree with what your seeing off the nose.
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I had an airport I go into very frequently still almost burn me. Had a gear issue (Mx never did find a problem, but I had to pump it down, still no lights, etc. Fun times), so I was dealing with that, had the ILS dialed in because I knew I was distracted and wanted the verification, and I still lined up on a road that can look like runway lighting at night. I knew the ILS didn't agree, and I was sorting it out when ATC gave me a call, but it was still frustrating and humbling.

(gear ended up being fully down and locked, just didn't have verification until after I landed)
 
KHanson said:
Isn't there also a note if you fly into SEATAC that states that aircrews should verify the runway is in fact the runway, and not the taxiway that looks exactly like the runway... width, length, etc... all the same.... just one has a solid yellow line, and one has a dashed white lol...
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There is on the Jepp Charts due to Taxi Tango being exactly the same length/width/orientation as 16C. Years ago American had an MD-83 land on Tango and tower tried to save them by saying "hold short 16C at November". AA comes back with "We think you mean hold short of 16L, we just landed 16C"...ATC "No sir, you landed on Taxiway Tango, hold short 16C at November...advise read to copy this number..."
 
Two United flights have landed at old Council Bluffs airport instead of Omaha, it happens.

Heck, I made a super sweet visual through the marginal VFR towards Hayward CA, who knows how long I would have continued if OAK tower wouldn't have said something didn't look right.
 
dasleben said:
I've done exactly that, then still managed to line up with the wrong runway. Fly into enough unfamiliar airports, add in a few timezone crossings and irregular sleep schedules, it happens. Your mind gets locked on to the idea that what you're seeing is correct. Hell, it's occurred to crews who are extremely familiar with the airport. CAL 757 on 29R in EWR, DAL 767 in ATL on taxiway M.
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good info. I guess anything is possible. Having an approach dialed in for a new or even familiar airport will at least be a preventive measure in my mind.
 
SurferLucas said:
There is on the Jepp Charts due to Taxi Tango being exactly the same length/width/orientation as 16C. Years ago American had an MD-83 land on Tango and tower tried to save them by saying "hold short 16C at November". AA comes back with "We think you mean hold short of 16L, we just landed 16C"...ATC "No sir, you landed on Taxiway Tango, hold short 16C at November...advise read to copy this number..."
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ha... yea... it's happened a few times. I think I remember hearing Alaska Airlines did a go-around doing the same error...
 
KHanson said:
ha... yea... it's happened a few times. I think I remember hearing Alaska Airlines did a go-around doing the same error...
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Just recently (as in the past 6 months), my flight was taxiing clear of 16R at November, crossing Tango to hold short of 16C at November. Asiana A330 was on final when tower says "Asiana XXX" go around...I look up and see him pass directly overhead. Apparently has lined up on Tango...awesome...
 
SurferLucas said:
Asiana A330
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Two big issues right there... chinese, and airbus... put the two together and you get a chinese • house. Only thing scarier is Siberia taxiing at KORD.... "Everybody STOP! Siberia is taxiing again" ...One of the 3 most common things heard at KORD, along with "No United you can't do that" and "Pick it up American, you're taxiing too slow" .
 
KHanson said:
Two big issues right there... chinese, and airbus... put the two together and you get a chinese house. Only thing scarier is Siberia taxiing at KORD.... "Everybody STOP! Siberia is taxiing again" ...One of the 3 most common things heard at KORD, along with "No United you can't do that" and "Pick it up American, you're taxiing too slow" .
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Your 0 for 2 when it comes to ORD. 1st No Bro's in ORD and I hate to be the one to tell you but Siberia doesn't fly to ORD and hasn't for at least 5 years.
 
UAL747400 said:
The two that always baffled me were the NWA and Mesaba flights that almost landed at Grand Forks AFB. Yes, the airport next to the TINY town, with the double flashing white light that you can see from a million miles away is what you want, not the one next to the "big city" that's barely visible. :D Bah, whatever. I don't judge! I've done some real humdingers in my time. :p

All these examples in this thread just go to show that ALL of us are a teeny weeny mistake away from making a big boo boo. We just need the right buttons pushed.
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I just now realized your signature pic scrolls. This whole time I thought you just really liked that song...
 
Gonzo said:
Your 0 for 2 when it comes to ORD. 1st No Bro's in ORD and I hate to be the one to tell you but Siberia doesn't fly to ORD and hasn't for at least 5 years.
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Yeah, that bro pic is still coming, don't worry. I just haven't been there in 4 months. The sibera comment was more a sarcastic joke, but thanks for being an e-thug.
 
KHanson said:
Yeah, that bro pic is still coming, don't worry. I just haven't been there in 4 months. The sibera comment was more a sarcastic joke, but thanks for being an e-thug.
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Where do the BROs park? I have a few 3 hour sits this month.
 
It's like at KPBI. Everyone lands on taxiway lima instead of either 10L or 10R. At night it looks like a super wide runway right down the middle.
 
swisspilot said:
They landed in Brussels instead of Frankfurt, I dunno what they were smoking becasue the two cities are more then 200 NM apart...
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I'll give you a hint....the F/O on that flight (which was his last) was a demoted 727 Captain which at one time I had the non-pleasure of flying with.


Mike, don't forget the 747 that landed at Avra Valley vs Pinal County.
 
I've thought the whole time reading this that sure, the C-17 can handle 3500 feet, but must be configured for it and the crew prepared. I hate to use a conversation with a dude as a reference, but I have a C-17 guy in the course with me that confirmed this thought. He said that if they were landing on a shorter field they would have the aircraft configured right and mash the brakes immediately after touchdown before the nose was down. He also said the aircraft from this story had exactly 6 feet remaining off the nose when they got it stopped.

He was dismayed that there have been a couple aircraft done in recently after such a quiet record back to 1989. Possibly a slight safety culture slip with the surge of new pilots during the war?

I still wonder at what point the crew realized there was problem. I guess analysis of how far the cushion got up there ass will tell.

Brett
 
UH60andU206 said:
He was dismayed that there have been a couple aircraft done in recently after such a quiet record back to 1989. Possibly a slight safety culture slip with the surge of new pilots during the war?
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It hasn't been that quiet. Apart from the airshow practice crash in Alaska, there's been a few hard landings and landings prior to the runway, one of which happened at the airfield I was at in Afghan. They had the SEAL killed in the door pressurization incident as well. Not that many safety incidents, but there have been some high-viz ones.
 
After seeing the landing and takeoff videos at this airport, I have a new-found love for the C-17. Shoutout to the pilots, wrong airport notwithstanding, for some good handling with this plane.
 
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