Iceman, with respect, if your company decided against circling approaches on the basis of that accident, it didn't understand either the approaches or the reasons for the prang. That accident had more to do with what porcedures the crew was using rather than the circling approach. Note also that the crew had no option: the wind required the use of RWY 18. Would your company have cancelled it's services there when 18 was in use or forecast?
There are many examples of "strange" accidents that we ignore when formulating policies. Are all MD-11 operations going to cease because of this Fedex prang? of course not.
Circling approaches are more dangerous than Straight ins, but are they dangerous in absolute terms? No, if they (like everything else in aviation) are done properly.
Last edited by Capn Bloggs; 8th Apr 2009 at 01:00.