Cape Town SAA A346
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Cape Town SAA A346
Just got a phone call from a colleague of mine still at work (at FACT). Apparently an SAA 346 has its nosegear in the sand. I have no idea if it was taxxing in or out, but RWY 19/01 closed for the time being.
Anyone have any more / reliable info regarding this ?
Anyone have any more / reliable info regarding this ?
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It was SA333 FAJS-FACT. A340-200. Ran off the runway. Cranes should be there at 1800 Local.
Last edited by August2007; 2nd Nov 2007 at 13:53. Reason: Incorrect routing
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CT ATIS says runways closed. Apparently tyre pieces at FAJS indicate one or more blow outs during take-off. Yes runway is closed due to A340 with nosewheel stuck in sand at end of the runway in Capetown.
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I hope that there were no injuries. The press are going to have a field day with this one, especially when they (the press) cannot get their facts straight
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Springbok702
I'm curious. You weren't referring to an Airbus with tyre problems out of JNB yesterday were you? Cause they have cockpit indications as to tyre pressures so they would have known exactly which tyres had blown, if any had.
the tyres was a problem they had yesterday, not sure which aircraft it was out of jhb so about 4 aircraft landed with full emergency crews in cape town.
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no apparently rubber was found on the runway at fajs yesterday but it was not know which aircraft it was from but they apparently worked out it was an aircraft on the way to cape town, so about 4 aircraft which arrived in cape town from jhb at around the same time had the emergency services waiting for them on arrival.
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If it was SA333, I believe this is the first flight for a LHR pairing. JNB-CPT-JNB, pax back to CPT today, LHR tomorrow.
Had a good one on the sms already.... "Apparently the 340 slipped on a Mango peel"!!
Had a good one on the sms already.... "Apparently the 340 slipped on a Mango peel"!!
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One passenger phoned in and said that they landed perfectly and taxied to the end of the runway, and then, instead of turning left, it turned right and got stuck in the sand!
He says the captain was a woman! Maybe that explains it?
Any news on this?
He says the captain was a woman! Maybe that explains it?
Any news on this?
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Dunno about the sex of the PIC, but the voice was male, and he accepted the taxi instructions from the tower ATC.
Alpha taxiway is closed just north of the Apron, so anyone who misses Echo taxiway when Rwy 01 is in use has to vacate right onto 16 to cross from Lima to Echo for the ramp.
There are a couple of other routes, one being a 180 on the runway.
However the quickest and least time on the runway is right onto 16, right Lima, cross Rwy 01 and Echo to the ramp.
The PIC accepted a right turn onto 16 after missing Echo taxiway on the landing roll, and somehow put the nosewheel into the sand.
2 hours 25 minutes later, all was sorted out.
27F
Alpha taxiway is closed just north of the Apron, so anyone who misses Echo taxiway when Rwy 01 is in use has to vacate right onto 16 to cross from Lima to Echo for the ramp.
There are a couple of other routes, one being a 180 on the runway.
However the quickest and least time on the runway is right onto 16, right Lima, cross Rwy 01 and Echo to the ramp.
The PIC accepted a right turn onto 16 after missing Echo taxiway on the landing roll, and somehow put the nosewheel into the sand.
2 hours 25 minutes later, all was sorted out.
27F
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Well I just got back from FAJS after being stuck there for 4 hours or so due to the chaos.
Irrespective of what happened there needs to be some serious investigation and some serious ass kicked.
The fact is that the A346 landed and could not make E and had to get onto 34 to get into L and then cross runway 01 and then onto E into the apron. In the process the crew had to make a 150deg turn from 01 right into 34 - must be quite a thing in a A346. 27F a 180 on the runway is not an option with a A346 - maybe a B738 but not an airbus
This is due to ACSA closing taxiway A into the apron from the north. It is high time that someone/thing important had a good look at what ACSA is doing at FACT. They are over 6 months behind with their apron rehabilitation and as we enter the busy season they still have several gates that cannot be used. And they have allowed airlines to fly here, putting a premium on the avail gates. Now on top of this they close off one of the access's to the apron after they have just closed E for weeks. It really is a pathetic and tired effort from ACSA. They wait to the busy season to do the work.
Fact is that they should never have been allowed to close A taxiway until they had painted some lines on the runway so a/c could make the right turn.
The resulting chaos around the country was quite impressive to say the least. ACSA made no announcements @ FAJS and no-one knew what was going on - they did not endear themselves to the passengers there, that was for sure and ask me I was stuck in it all!!!
They have now given us the COMPLETION date for the new runway 18/36 which will be east of the main runway and go through the thr of 34 which will close that runway for good! It is going to be complete by the end of 2009 - we just wonder when they are going to start it. (Oh and I wonder what they are going to do to the helicopter customers - where they going to train when 34 aint there??)
Best statement of all this afternoon was the airport manager who wanted to know why a/c could not take off runway 19 from E!!!!!!!!!!!! The wind was 330/20 - does this a
hole have any idea how an airport works and how a/c use runways? I still cannot believe after how ever many YEARS he has been at FACT, he has NEVER put foot in the tower complex and come and see how ATC works and the problems we have - which are compounded by the chaos around the apron at the moment.
I sympathise with the crew - had ACSA painted the lines at the runway intersection, this would not have happened - the crew had to guess where they were and they just slipped off the runway - I sincerely hope SAA take ACSA to task. And stop blaming the crew - the real cause of the incident is ACSA not doing their job properly.
One wonders if ACSA has a quality management system - if they did they would have identified this as a potential problem and addressed it before it is too late. But with a bunch of Wallies in charge of ACSA at FACT, what do you really expect? This also illustrates the urgent need to keep 16/34 open - one incident on the main runway and no one can move into and out of the Cape. We also need someone from ACSA that can make a decision - it was pathetic trying to get anyone there to make a decision.
Irrespective of what happened there needs to be some serious investigation and some serious ass kicked.
The fact is that the A346 landed and could not make E and had to get onto 34 to get into L and then cross runway 01 and then onto E into the apron. In the process the crew had to make a 150deg turn from 01 right into 34 - must be quite a thing in a A346. 27F a 180 on the runway is not an option with a A346 - maybe a B738 but not an airbus
This is due to ACSA closing taxiway A into the apron from the north. It is high time that someone/thing important had a good look at what ACSA is doing at FACT. They are over 6 months behind with their apron rehabilitation and as we enter the busy season they still have several gates that cannot be used. And they have allowed airlines to fly here, putting a premium on the avail gates. Now on top of this they close off one of the access's to the apron after they have just closed E for weeks. It really is a pathetic and tired effort from ACSA. They wait to the busy season to do the work.
Fact is that they should never have been allowed to close A taxiway until they had painted some lines on the runway so a/c could make the right turn.
The resulting chaos around the country was quite impressive to say the least. ACSA made no announcements @ FAJS and no-one knew what was going on - they did not endear themselves to the passengers there, that was for sure and ask me I was stuck in it all!!!
They have now given us the COMPLETION date for the new runway 18/36 which will be east of the main runway and go through the thr of 34 which will close that runway for good! It is going to be complete by the end of 2009 - we just wonder when they are going to start it. (Oh and I wonder what they are going to do to the helicopter customers - where they going to train when 34 aint there??)
Best statement of all this afternoon was the airport manager who wanted to know why a/c could not take off runway 19 from E!!!!!!!!!!!! The wind was 330/20 - does this a
hole have any idea how an airport works and how a/c use runways? I still cannot believe after how ever many YEARS he has been at FACT, he has NEVER put foot in the tower complex and come and see how ATC works and the problems we have - which are compounded by the chaos around the apron at the moment.I sympathise with the crew - had ACSA painted the lines at the runway intersection, this would not have happened - the crew had to guess where they were and they just slipped off the runway - I sincerely hope SAA take ACSA to task. And stop blaming the crew - the real cause of the incident is ACSA not doing their job properly.
One wonders if ACSA has a quality management system - if they did they would have identified this as a potential problem and addressed it before it is too late. But with a bunch of Wallies in charge of ACSA at FACT, what do you really expect? This also illustrates the urgent need to keep 16/34 open - one incident on the main runway and no one can move into and out of the Cape. We also need someone from ACSA that can make a decision - it was pathetic trying to get anyone there to make a decision.
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Goldfish, I've seen '600's do 180's on the runway, suprised the hell out of me but the pilot insisted he could do it and he did. I've also seen them taxi from RWY 19 into Charlie taxiway with the cockpit already past the taxiway. I can't recall the angle, but it is over 120. The pilot accepted the turn so i don't see how anyone could blame the ATC.
Second joke for the day, if they couldn't tow it out like they did, the only other option was to get recovery gear from FAJS by FLYING it in...
What are the chances ACSA is putting in a nice large conduit for future expansion? Or are we going to sit exactly here in 2 years again.
Second joke for the day, if they couldn't tow it out like they did, the only other option was to get recovery gear from FAJS by FLYING it in...
What are the chances ACSA is putting in a nice large conduit for future expansion? Or are we going to sit exactly here in 2 years again.
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Just to add some fuel to the fire. In the international check-in areas ACSA have come up with a brilliant idea of specific couters for specific airlines. The problem however is that they did not consult the airlines and there are clashes when TK/SA/VS check in in the afternoon on one bank of counters. LH uses the other bank and BA/SW use the other bank. There are about 6-7 counter that do not work which makes the problem even greater.
Specific counters for airlines can work with proper planning, but even in the AOC meetings, the airlines speak up but ACSA do nothing about it.
How many times have the doors in the two air bridges not worked and we have to hold the pax until ACSA resets the magetic doors so that they can be opened.
The staff parking is temporary (only 4 years
acording to ACSA), but have you seen the state of the staff parking, never mind the shuttle service.
ACSA will put the blame on the crew as they will not accept any responsibility for the airbus incident, just like they are not at fault in anything at the airport
Specific counters for airlines can work with proper planning, but even in the AOC meetings, the airlines speak up but ACSA do nothing about it.
How many times have the doors in the two air bridges not worked and we have to hold the pax until ACSA resets the magetic doors so that they can be opened.
The staff parking is temporary (only 4 years
acording to ACSA), but have you seen the state of the staff parking, never mind the shuttle service.ACSA will put the blame on the crew as they will not accept any responsibility for the airbus incident, just like they are not at fault in anything at the airport
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I am with Goldfish on this one. FACT has a poor record of runway/taxiway serviceability. The constant closures, and backlog of work make it a hazardous place to operate into. Couple this with frequent navaid/lighting outages, and category downgrades, and you have a recipe for an incident.
I believe that the A346 (longer than A380 0r B744) is fairly difficult to manoeuvre. My sympathies lie with the crew.
I believe that the A346 (longer than A380 0r B744) is fairly difficult to manoeuvre. My sympathies lie with the crew.
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27 F
at least on charlie there are centre line guidance lines............
as to the 180deg turns - runway end must be wide enough and strong enough which FACT does not have.
Of course ACSA are blameless - the shambles in the Int building is another fine example.
A Assocation of
C completely
S stupid
A aholes
A Apoligising
C continiously
S south
A Africa
I also think that SAAPA/ALSA- SA should approach IFALPA to get them to BLACKLIST FACT - due to the constant WIP and the constant navaid downgrages and problems - it really is a construction site with its own runway and I would not like to take a A346 into FACT at the best of times - I certainly admire those pilots - never mind the poor discipline of the vehicle drivers on the apron that are often either taking pax/other vehicles/ a/c on or out!
at least on charlie there are centre line guidance lines............
as to the 180deg turns - runway end must be wide enough and strong enough which FACT does not have.
Of course ACSA are blameless - the shambles in the Int building is another fine example.
A Assocation of
C completely
S stupid
A a
holesA Apoligising
C continiously
S south
A Africa
I also think that SAAPA/ALSA- SA should approach IFALPA to get them to BLACKLIST FACT - due to the constant WIP and the constant navaid downgrages and problems - it really is a construction site with its own runway and I would not like to take a A346 into FACT at the best of times - I certainly admire those pilots - never mind the poor discipline of the vehicle drivers on the apron that are often either taking pax/other vehicles/ a/c on or out!
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I'm amazed nobody makes remarks about the fact that this happened on the first day without 747 in the SAA fleet...maybe the pilot was just trying to make a statement!!!
Btw, can anybody maybe help me with info regarding what flights were diverted to GRJ. I flew to JNB on Friday morning arriving just after 12:00, actually saw SA333 take-off from JNB...so wasn't in GRJ to see what flights diverted here.
Btw, can anybody maybe help me with info regarding what flights were diverted to GRJ. I flew to JNB on Friday morning arriving just after 12:00, actually saw SA333 take-off from JNB...so wasn't in GRJ to see what flights diverted here.
!!
