Originally Posted by
Longtimer
Mr Landsberg added that shortly before they landed, the pilots had asked to change to a runway which had equipment set up on it, and which therefore had less space available.
Originally Posted by
Longtimer
"We don't know what they were thinking or why that was their choice," he said.
As you can hear in the liveatc.net audio linked above, the approach controller suggested that runway 10 might be the better option. Looking at the radar picture archived by weather.us around the time of the mishap at 0143Z the weather is still over the field but the approach from the west looks better:
Navy Jax is in the circled area near the bottom center of the radar plot. Jax International is north of town and in the clear, AA2004, an A320, and Challenger N541PJ shot visual approaches to JAX a few minutes before the mishap at NIP.
Looking at the NOTAM's posted earlier it looks to me like both runways were about 8000 feet long for landing. The 7800 foot number from Bruce Landsberg is from his estimate that the barrier was 1200 feet from the threshold on the 9000 feet piece of pavement.
M0196/19 NOTAMN
Q) ZJX/QMRCM/IV/NBO/A/000/999/3014N08140W005 A) KNIP B) 1903281254 C) 1905302300=left
E) RWY 28 TORA 8,002FT, TODA 8,002FT, ASDA 8,003FT, LDA 8,003FT.
M0194/19 NOTAMN
Q) ZJX/QMRCM/IV/NBO/A/000/999/3014N08140W005 A) KNIP B) 1903281251 C) 1905302300=left
E) RWY 10 TORA 8,003FT, TODA 8,003FT, ASDA 8,006FT, LDA 8,006FT.
Landsberg discusses the 'wire barrier' set up that shortened the length of the usable runway starting about 4:10 into the video of the news conference:
Landsberg says the pilots were advised of the arresting gear or wire barrier (which is it?) on runway 10. I'm unable to find any mention of this in the approach control recordings, perhaps it was discussed after they switched to Navy Jax GCA on final approach to runway 10.
When LL293 first checks in with Jax Approach they say they are unable to get the ATIS and the controller gives the winds as 350 degrees at 4 knots. He mentions moderate to heavy precip on approach to both runways and the initial plan is RNAV runway 28. The runway swap to 10 is later suggested by the controller as I posted above.