Landing when the airport is closed
I heard a very unusual exchange between New York (oceanic) and a flight with the callsign MEM4099. I believe it was an Antonov 12.
This flight was inbound to Bermuda and the crew were advised that due to the weather the airport was closed and ATC were not in attendance. The wind was 40 gusting 55kts across the runway.
Despite being asked several times what his intentions were the flight merely replied by repeating his callsign. It was in such a way that I imagine that the controller would have doubted that the crew understood what was being said to them. Pretty much every question put to them was met with the same ambiguous response. To cut a long story short it became evident that MEM4099 was going to land even though the reported wind was as stated above and that no ATC would be available. NY cleared them to a fix and then asked them to call them once they had landed.
Happily, I can say that shortly afterwards he did call up to say he was on the ground. I cannot recall such an unusual conversation between an aircraft and ATC. At no time did they declare any Pan/Mayday or give the slightest indication as to why they needed to land so urgently. Are there many aircraft that can land with a 55kt crosswind on a wet runway?
BBK