aircraft landing at the wrong airfield
Martin Baker Dakota back and forwards to Langford Lodge
I remember a 216 Sqn Comet 2 on a VIP flight from UK to Malta landed at Ta-Qali in 1958 or 59. It was on a straight in approach to Rwy 13 at Luqa when it landed on Rwy 13 at Ta-Qali, five miles short of their destination. The VIP on board was Prince Philip or Lord Mountbatten. They taxied round and took off again for the extremely short flight to Luqa. The incident was hushed up and the VVIP Captain, who shall be nameless, kept his reputation.
A light twin took off from Manchester RW24 for the very short trip to Woodford . I cleared him to land RW07 at Woodford no sign of him so I had a quick look with the binos . He was nicely lined up with RW 06 at Manchester! I advised him and rescued the situation.
IIRC a Trident also landed at Langford Lodge by mistake.
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The T.F.W. From Upper Heyford managed to fly 2 F-111s down the line of 24 at Manchester Ringway instead of Woodford one year. It was woodford's air show day.
I just hope they weren't loaded !!
Be lucky
David
I just hope they weren't loaded !!
Be lucky
David
Last edited by The AvgasDinosaur; 11th Dec 2016 at 17:44. Reason: Typo correction
Awesome but Affordable
In 1961 I entered Turbulent G-APZZ in the London to Cardiff air race. To increase the speed I arranged to borrow a canopy from a Turb at the flying club at RAF Cranwell. I flew over from Snoring in an Auster IV to collect it and on arrival saw the airfield and landed. It was deserted but eventually a sergeant pedalled up on his service bike. I was on Cranwell South and should have been at Cranwell North. It was my shortest cross country ever, all of one mile that took two minutes take off to landing.
As an aside to Brakedwell's post about Malta - this is more a not landing at the the wrong airport but...
The only time I ever went there, September 1988, we were on finals for Luqa while I was looking out of the left-hand window at Hal-Far, thinking "we're never going to get in there!"
The only time I ever went there, September 1988, we were on finals for Luqa while I was looking out of the left-hand window at Hal-Far, thinking "we're never going to get in there!"
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In the early 70s a Viscount (Bahamas I think, but might have been Venezuelan, it was a long time ago) landed at Wymeswold instead of East Midlands. The aircraft was to be serviced by Fields Aviation, who had moved to EMA from Wymeswold. The conversation with the Atco on Castledon tower was amusing!
The erronous "touch-and-go" reference came from a Roger Bacon column in Flight some 30 years after the event, so I guess we can forgive the nephew's foggy recollection:
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/ar...y-2006-206590/
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Aero Commander at Wymeswold in mistake for Castle Donington circa 1967. At the same time there was a second solo stude circuit bashing on the short runway who had to be overshot as the Aero Commander, having landed on the long runway, crossed the intersection with the short as the JP flew exactly overhead. As the the stude turned downwind he asked why he had been overshot.
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And none of us have ever been in that situation - only to realise just in time to avoid ridicule or worse by not actually landing........Oooops! Did I nearly do that? My lips are sealed!
In 1985/6 I lived in a flat on Bessborough Road in Harrow. We had close sight of Northolt inbounds dodging round our chimney pots going over from front to back. On occasions when LHR was on 23 we had a constant stream of inbounds L>R across fron windows.
On one occasion, early 86, Icelandair 727 approaching 23 jinked right as he broke the scudding low cloud. Very rapid instruction for Iceair xxx to go around, I say again go around. I suspect that was another Northolt landing avoided.
On one occasion, early 86, Icelandair 727 approaching 23 jinked right as he broke the scudding low cloud. Very rapid instruction for Iceair xxx to go around, I say again go around. I suspect that was another Northolt landing avoided.
I took a flight to Alicante once...
Greeted the pax, confirmed Alicante, told them how nice the wx was at Alicante, flew down there having a discussion on the way with one of the pax about how much Alicante had changed since I was a kid ... and on taxying in was treated to a chorus of "this isn't Alicante" from down the back. I assured them it was, as evidenced by the big "Alicante" sign, on the terminal building.
Having shut down, a quick look at all the paperwork - theirs and ours - indeed confirmed we had found the right airport. Had a discussion with the lead pax about what "his" Alicante looked like... turned out they actually wanted to go to Almeria.
Greeted the pax, confirmed Alicante, told them how nice the wx was at Alicante, flew down there having a discussion on the way with one of the pax about how much Alicante had changed since I was a kid ... and on taxying in was treated to a chorus of "this isn't Alicante" from down the back. I assured them it was, as evidenced by the big "Alicante" sign, on the terminal building.
Having shut down, a quick look at all the paperwork - theirs and ours - indeed confirmed we had found the right airport. Had a discussion with the lead pax about what "his" Alicante looked like... turned out they actually wanted to go to Almeria.
Cambridge vs Duxford
I was bashing the circuit in a PA-28 at Cambridge one day when a fellow aviator made the usual series of calls for downwind, base and finals. Damned if I could see him although I should have been close. Eventually decided to call negative contact, head for the dead side and go round. When a more inquisitive ATC asked exactly where he was the response was ‘outside the museum.'
‘Suggest you call Duxford then’
‘Suggest you call Duxford then’
Last edited by Dave Gittins; 13th Mar 2018 at 14:09.
Further slight resurrection of thread, just for completeness - the pilot of the Northolt 707 was Warren Sheldon Beall, and the incident was mentioned - with his account - in Flight, 4 November 1960 .
He died at the age of 97 in 2014, and his obit on the Pan Am former staff website recorded that he retired as a 747 captain in 1976.
He died at the age of 97 in 2014, and his obit on the Pan Am former staff website recorded that he retired as a 747 captain in 1976.
Great find, Archimedes. Did you have a Eureka moment? 
The Flight article refers to "Watford or Epsom ranges". Were there really radio ranges in the UK in 1960 or did Uncle Roger have a momentary lapse?
The Flight article refers to "Watford or Epsom ranges". Were there really radio ranges in the UK in 1960 or did Uncle Roger have a momentary lapse?
