SWA off taxiway

[Dream Land]

The link here. (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420ap_wa_plane_skids.html)

Southwest Airlines flight skids off taxiway in Spokane
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SPOKANE, Wash. -- A Southwest Airlines plane with 118 passengers on board skidded off a snow-covered taxiway Sunday afternoon after safely landing at Spokane International Airport, the airline said.

No one was injured, but flights didn't resume for more than three hours.

The pilot of Southwest Flight 485, bound from Portland, Ore., was slowly taxiing to the gate when the front wheels of the plane slid off the taxiway around 1:40 p.m., said Brandy King, a spokeswoman for the Dallas-based carrier.

Heavy snow had been falling on Spokane and the surrounding region since Saturday afternoon. There was up to a half-inch of wet, heavy snow on the ground, but "we don't have any ice on the runway; we were pretty vigilant about that," Airport spokesman Todd Woodard told The Spokesman-Review newspaper.

The airport shut down operations until crews could move the Boeing 737, which was obstructing a taxiway, King said. The plane was moved at about 4:30 p.m., and flights resumed shortly after 5 p.m., the airport said.

Southwest used buses to shuttle the plane's passengers and five crew members to the terminal.

The aircraft will be removed from service for routine inspection to make sure it wasn't damaged and that mechanical failure did not play a role in the incident, King said. Several airport lights were damaged in the incident, Woodard said.

An initial inspection of the plane didn't reveal any immediate damage, but Southwest suspended its operations in Spokane for the rest of the night, King said.

The plane originated in Albuquerque, then flew to San Diego, Sacramento, and Portland, Ore., before heading to Spokane, King said.

[sevenstrokeroll]

this comment is not just about this southwest incident.

The surest way to stay on a slick taxiway after landing is this:

stop completely on the runway. full stop. no movement. then, after assesing the situation, move very slowly, very very slowly. be prepared to use reverse if you get in trouble. (this would be considered an emergency use of reverse below normal speeds, be careful about ingestion and inspect if needed)

to just turn off a runway at taxi speeds on a slick day is asking for trouble.

I saw it happen in KBUF one snowy day. Runway conditions were good, but ATIS even mentioned how bad the taxiways were. Hot shot captain didn't stop on runway...slid...to his credit he used reverse and had lots of room... and luck.


STOP...even advise tower that you intend to come to a full stop on runway on initial contact/outer marker.

[cossack]

STOP...even advise tower that you intend to come to a full stop on runway on initial contact/outer marker.
If it is your intention to stop on a runway after landing for whatever reason, inform ATC at the earliest opportunity. Waiting until you're at the marker means there will in all likelihood be an overshoot for the guy we've just put on the ILS behind you. Nobody likes surprises.
Spacing on approach is adjusted to cater for poor braking conditions on exits, but not for you to come to a stop on the runway.
Share the information please.

[sevenstrokeroll]

I didn't mean to imply you stop on the runway half a mile from the exit and then taxi at a crawl while on the runway.

I meant, stop on the runway near the exit and then proceed slowly, very slowly...exiting at a very slow speed.

ATC must balance the need for prudence against the need to move tin...but if you end up blocking a runway for 10 hours,due to putting your gear in the mud/frozen mud, who gains?

[PantLoad]

Sevenstrokeroll is 110% correct.

ATC recognizes and plans for aircraft to spend additional time on the runway under such weather conditions.

And, even if not...WE DO NOT LET ATC FLY OUR AIRPLANES. NEVER LET ATC FLY YOUR AIRPLANE. YOU DO WHAT YOU MUST...ADVISE THEM THAT THIS IS THE WAY IT IS.....


PantLoad

[sevenstrokeroll]

Thank You PantLoad.

Too many decent pilots are trying to help things along. They are trying to make up for too few runways, too few controllers and other shortcomings of the aviation system in the USA.

Hurry, up, fly faster, stay higher longer to save fuel, be a bit unspooled.

Get off the runway so the next guy doesn't have to go around.

Oh, and who cares about YOU when YOUR plane goes off the taxiway?

A million attaboys doesn't make up for one OOOPS!

Dear ATC, I hereby inform you on behalf of all pilots: we fly the planes, we stop when we need to and if you aren't watching out the window, its your problem.

we might have blown a tire...passed out at the controls...gotten lost...

you are sitting in the concrete tower with a big red panic button for help.

you guys have to work around us, not the other way around.

sevenstrokeroll flam flam

[dessas]

This a very worrisome trend.
Airport authorities all over the world are cutting costs and as a result they rarely provide accurate and up to date reports on surface condition of taxiways and aprons.
About 6 weeks ago we arrived in CDG on a freezing morning. Rwys were ok, but on some taxiways (the roundabout at "U" for example) it was very bad. We skidded a bit. While we disembarked on a hard stand, the ground staff asked me to do a PA to warn pax about the "very slippery ground".
Another company a/c more recently was crossing 26R after landing 26L and immediately after vacating 26R they started skidding while doing 6-8 knots.
In both cases there was absolutely no warning by ATC!
:mad:

[Bus Junkie]

The pilot of Southwest Flight 485, bound from Portland, Ore., was slowly taxiing

I laugh, I laugh, I laugh. I ride swa all the time. I've never experienced a slow taxi. Two or three years ago they had two aircraft off the rwy/taxiway within a two week period (TUL or MKC I can't remember). Slick conditions, too fast.

The runway conditions are almost always 10 times better than the taxiways. If the breaking was good you get lulled in to the belief the taxiways are good also. That is never the case. Come to a near stop look at what you are about to taxi on, and then believe there is no traction.


edit: location

[llondel]

Out of interest, are there any statistics about typical taxi speeds by type, airline and airport and how it all varies with weather? Obviously if you're in the outbound evening queue at JFK it'll be close to zero, but lightly-used airports where the terminal is close to one end, you're obviously saving a bit of time getting to/from the far end if you wind it up a bit. I guess ATC have some idea at their local airport, especially if there are runway crossings to manage.

[sevenstrokeroll]

it would be a good PHD thesis, but no info on taxi speeds.

but, just from empirical evidence, southwest copilots are frequently calling:

V1 as they taxi.

;-)

[Fokker28]

KGEG has slick taxiways and ramps nearly all winter, every winter. When I taxi to my spot, I slow until the marshaller gets annoyed and waves his wands harder, then I know I've reached the correct speed.

BTW, I would have been shocked if anyone BUT SWA had slid off...

[saudipc-9]

Doesn't ATIS provide a JBI/CRFI report or ATC provide a report of the taxiway/runway conditions?

[Palyvestre]

You have a - not really good - video made by the local tv channel here

http://www.crash-aerien.com/forum/sortie-de-piste-a-latterrissage-dun-avion-de-southwest-vt6176.html