Binoculars, agreed, there are times when it's necessary, and I emphasise, necessary, to apply common sense if the rules don't give appropriate guidance. If I had an uncontrollable fire, could determine the runway was clear and didn't have a landing clearance then yes, I would land. A situation like this, however, is simply not one of those times.
Several options were available and, in accordance with the rules and the airline's SOPs, the Captain chose the correct one...based on the assumption of course that the reports of what happened are correct. To have done otherwise would have the left the individuals concerned open to all sorts of repercussions.
Last edited by DirectAnywhere; 15th Feb 2004 at 19:35.