Light a/c off runway in Cape Town

[4HolerPoler]

It's a bad weekend in the Cape:

A runway at Cape Town International Airport was closed after a light aircraft veered off it on landing, an Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) spokesperson said on Saturday. "The light aircraft was landing at 09:00 when it veered approximately 20 metres off the runway and into the grass," said Acsa spokesperson Deidre Hendricks. In this event airport procedures dictate that the runway must be closed, which was done, said Hendricks. As a result two domestic flights had to be diverted to George. The runway was reopened an hour later and operations were back to normal by 10:00, she said. There were no injuries.

4HP

[linuxgal]

This report confirms it was a minor incident. Aircraft were first informed of the situation by ATC and recommended to continue as it would be reopened shortly, then ATC advised that the airport would be closed for 3-4 hours and all a/c advised to divert.
In the end, from first notification to runway reopening, took about half an hour. This would have necessitated a short hold only if these aircraft continued to CT with better information.
When the news of the reopening came through it was too late for two a/c going to GRJ, who were overhead and committed. A third overhead GRJ and a LHR-CPT flight diverting to JNB were able to continue for CPT, and also late but not as badly off.
What a waste of fuel, time, etc etc because of poor information and over-reaction to a minor incident by ACSA.

[George Tower]

Another black mark for ACSA.......seems no one has a good word to say about them.

[grjplanes]

It was a 1Time MD-83 and Nationwide 732 diverted to GRJ landing just before 10:00, the CE flight departed about 10:50 again and the 1T at 11:30.

Nice seeing 3 CE aircraft on the GRJ apron at once (with another 732 stationed over the weekend and a scheduled 735)

[Deskjocky]

Perhaps they can sue for losses??:} :}

[JetPark]

And so they should. It was quite ridiculous - I happened to be around (recovering from the poor AAD Registration phase of my life) at the time of this truly minor incident. All the fuss over a Cessna 182. Quite silly to say the least. ACSA / ATNS certainly made a meal of it.