BA/Comair in Durban

[FUG]

Just heard that a BA flight has gone off the runway in Durban. Anyone got more info?

[Ricoffy]

ZS-OKD is the reg as far I know.

Latest WX.
FADN 180930Z 32005KT 250V010 3000 -RA SCT009 BKN030 BKN080
19/18 Q1030 TEMPO 1500

No Idea what actually happened but a/c off rwy and stuck. Apparently all flts ex FADN running approx 3 hours late. All pax ok.

[LittleMo]

Off news24:


Durban - Durban International Airport has been closed after an aircraft went off the runway while landing on Wednesday, the Airports Company of South Africa (Acsa) said.
British Airways Flight 203 was arriving from Johannesburg with 87 passengers and six crew on board when the incident occurred.
Acsa spokesperson Colin Naidoo said: "On landing, the aircraft went off the runway. We managed to move the passengers off the aircraft and to a safe location and trauma counsellors and paramedics are presently attending to them," said Naidoo.
At this stage, he said, no major injuries were reported.
"The airport is officially closed due to where the aircraft is on the runway. Once it has been moved and [the area] declared safe, the airport will be re-opened," Naidoo said.
Bad weather conditions were believed to have been the cause of the incident. Other flights headed for Durban International have been told to turn back, said Naidoo.

[lizzard]

Aircraft cleared from runway in DUR. No major damage.

[Ricoffy]

Anyone know of any pictures posted anywhere? Glad to hear all is ok

[safety nutcase]

Avcom's got pictures

[chileno 777]

http://news.jetphotos.net/

[Avi8tor]

Is that the end of the runway I see? And its all facing the oncoming traffic? Don't wanna pass judgement, as I wasn't at the sharp end, but looks interesting.

[777Contrail]

Is that a B737-200?

Weren't the Nationwide pilots given the contract to fly them for a few months?

The plot thickens!

[FlingWingKing]

Looks more like a ground loop....alla Harvard style :hmm:

[Avi8tor]

Rejecting a landing is the hardest choice to make. But when ur still in the air through the touch down zone.....
BUT I wasn't there....NOT judging the boys(or girls) concerned.

[Solid Rust Twotter]

Airbus pilot? Do Spoories position crews on BA/Comair?

[Gyro Nut]

No, never. Not with the frequency of flights to Durban.

Our aviation journalism in the country is pathetic. From News24. I quote:

"If it hadn't been for the captain's good braking, we would have landed in an air channel and the accident would've been far more serious," Van Schoor said.

Can someone please explain what the journalist is trying to say. Not too sure what an "air channel" is?:rolleyes::rolleyes:

[dudleydick]

Maybe the passenger was thinking about the canalised Umbilo River some several 100 meters beyond the end of the runway? On the other hand he dont know good Inglish!

[reptile]

The pilot came in too fast ...

The "Airbus Pilot" must be very special indeed. The superior senses that allow him to accurately measure the approach speed and path from the comfort of his seat in the cabin, is certainly impressive! Unless you were seated in the cockpit or had the opportunity to analyse the FDR, you are a bit of a dick to try and make a judgement call regarding the approach speed.

resulted in the left undercarriage collapsing

Aaaaah. So the "Airbus Pilot" IS a dumb ass - the left main gear sank into the waterlogged soil. Nothing collapsed.

Someone should remind him that "flying" an Airbus on a Flight Sim at home hardly qualifies you as a pilot.

[reptile]

Is that a B737-200?

Weren't the Nationwide pilots given the contract to fly them for a few months?

The plot thickens!

The plot has been thick for a long time.

These gents previously flew for an airline - Nationwide - that instituted serious enquiries after every go-around. It takes a while to get that crap out of your system. If anyone is to blame for their actions, I believe it should rest at the feet of VB and the rest of his sidekicks.

[Shrike200]

Nationwide - that instituted serious enquiries after every go-around

I hate to be the one always jumping up and down at the NTW chirps, but, again - complete rubbish. If they needed to go around, they went around. No questions (other than general curiosity) got asked.

[exjet]

Only one guy can ensure that the touch down does not take place halfway down the runway or ensure that a 'go around' is initiated - the PIC.

Whether this is relevant in this incident is a completley different matter.

[Tin-Tin]

The Nationwide pilots were hero’s just the other day when the engine fell off!! Now all of a sudden they turned into villains!!

Such an incident can happen to anyone...:oh:

[ERASER]

Well, rumour has it that the crew reported loss of a generator and a possible lightning strike prior to landing..........

E

[very old flyer]

These spurious comments about Nationwide - in 2006 NTW was awarded the best domestic airline award. The cabin staff were the best trained in the country, and were constantly being poached by other operators.

Concerning, more seriously, the flight deck crew - they were excellent professionals who did everything required of them in every way. I saw them operate from close-up.

Yes, the top management let them down, but the same thing happens in SAA and Airlink.

And Nationwide never lost a passenger, and now, never will!

[Skyjuggler]

Yes, I was one of those stranded the other day with the comair saga.
Was in the viewing deckm pasing the time when I saw the approach. Herewith the best description I can offer Judgement free:

Final approach on RWY 06, still looked pretty high which caught my attention. From my position it looked like it touched down a little short of Taxiway "C", about 2 thirds down the runway. Almost immediateyl after there was huge amounts of spray obscuring almost the entire aircraft except the top of the tail. Was just able to see that spinning around. Once everything settled, it was in the mud facing the opposite direction.

The weather all morning was horendous and there were a good number of acft that diverted before even trying the approach.

For interest, a little later, in a last dying attempt to get people out of there, an A319 departed, RWY 24 direction, from Taxiway "C", with what looked like a 15kt tailwind at least. Very impressive. Phoned a mate of mine in the know who said they spent hours doing the calcs and it was all above board.

[PitchandFan]

Touchdown just before Charlie (<500m avail from there)? Holy smoke, by that time you should have gone around long ago. You sure you dont mean Golf?

[nugpot]

Touchdown just before Charlie (<500m avail from there)? Holy smoke, by that time you should have gone around long ago. You sure you dont mean Golf?

Heard the same from other witnesses. Touchdown close to "C".

[Skyjuggler]

<<Sure you don't mean golf?">>

:)If I had a buck for everytime I get asked this from people who know the airfield layout. Yup, I'm afraid I definitely mean Charlie! Must have been pretty close to the touchdown markings for RWY 24 though:ok:

[Gyro Nut]

SAA company limit is max. 10kts tailwind. The guys would never have taken off with more than this. We have to many monitoring devices on board, especially on a A319 to try this trick.

Remember it might have been blowing 20kts, but off to one side, so the wind component down the runway would have been way less.

[Shrike200]

Bliksem. Just so those not familiar with the airfield can see:

http://www.caa.co.za/resource%20center/Charts/AERONAUTICAL%20CHARTS/LICENCED%20AERODROMES/D/FADN_DURBAN%20INTERNATIONAL/AD_01/AD-01.pdf

[Insane]

Lucky he did not end up 'half way to the harbour':}

[Skyjuggler]

<<SAA company limit is max. 10kts tailwind. The guys would never have taken off with more than this. We have to many monitoring devices on board, especially on a A319 to try this trick.

Remember it might have been blowing 20kts, but off to one side, so the wind component down the runway would have been way less.>>

Hey Gyro Nut... I concur, I know all about the max tailwind for the SAA guys which is why I was amazed. Taking off from Charlie no less. But I assure you it was definitly a tailwind straight down the RWY, Metars for the morning all quote North Easterly upward of 15kt. Avcom have all the METARS.

Anyway, I'm gonna check the archives through liveatc.net and see if I can get the wind the controller reported. Maybe if you're someone in the know you can find out more...? Departed about 1310 local time...
If it turns out that I'm mistaken (happens often enopugh) I shall hang my head in shame for contributing to the rumour mill:\:ok:

[FUG]

There were 87 passengers and 6 crew on board the Boeing 737-300 and no-one was injured. Passengers and crew have disembarked and are being debriefed by the flight crew and have been offered Lifeline counselling. Most passengers have now left the airport and continued on their journey, even though road traffic has been gridlocked outside the airport due to the bad weather.

Glenda Zvenyika
Communications Manager
Comair Limited

This is taken directly from their press release sent by the Communications Manager - why did they (and always do) lie about the aircraft types? It was a 737-200, why dont they so?

[lvdriver]

That probably because she doesnt know the difference between a 200 and a 300!! PP people are all the same.

[HansFlyer]

Quote:
Touchdown just before Charlie (<500m avail from there)? Holy smoke, by that time you should have gone around long ago. You sure you dont mean Golf?
Heard the same from other witnesses. Touchdown close to "C".


If it were true they (the crew) did a remarkable job to stop before the end of the runway and do a "hand break turn" without rolling the aircraft and removing a wing from the fuselage in the process?

HansFlyer

[Avi8tor]

I don't want to speculate, but I have had a word with people in the ATC system. Seems that this may be the 1st accident in SA that is directly attributable to WINDSHEAR/MICROBURST.

It is reported that there was a large cell just beyond the upwind threshold. While the aircraft was on final approach, the tower reported winds pretty much 180 degrees apart at the thresholds at either end of the runway. The anemometers reported a headwind for BOTH runways.

Can you imagine the mess had they elected to go-around/reject the land and flown into a microburst?

For my 5 cents worth, nobody injured and the paint only slightly scratched, the crew did a fine job in a trying situation.

Hope the Met Office keeps all the parameters and it get programmed into a sim model for us all to learn from.

[nugpot]

Seems that this may be the 1st accident in SA that is directly attributable to WINDSHEAR/MICROBURST.

Maybe first airline accident. I had one in 1989.

paint only slightly scratched

Might be a bit worse than that.......

Finally. The 180 at the end was unintentional.

[NOTOT]

Once again the Nation Crew did a fine job of working the situation, if any thing they can operate, one can learn?!!!

[Skyjuggler]

Goodness, cloud bursts:eek:, lightning strikes:ooh:, anemometers giving same directions:sad:, ATC having opposite ones... I can't wait for the final report to come out...