C17 Lands at wrong (3600 foot!) runway

Joined: Aug 2006
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From: West Sussex
MG:
Ah memories, "Downwind to roll" "Proceed to finals you are number one...correction, now number two". Sure enough BOAC VC10, having called visual and cleared to land by PL, hoves into view on finals for 20 Changi (same R/W direction as PL). It pours on the coals but not before it has briefly touched down. Result, as you say, red faces and a landing fee from the MOD!
A few decades ago, there were several occasions when inadvertent landings occurred at RAF Changi instead at Paya Lebar, the old civil airport in Singapore. Red faces not caused by tropic sun.
Last edited by Chugalug2; 21st July 2012 at 09:27.


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From: Falling off the end of the thread
Several moons ago a Civi Tristar i think it was diverted into EGNX and the pax had to wait on board for a few hours while a set of Airstairs were driven over from Birmingham that could reach the door

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From: Herefordshire
Bob Viking
Yes, one of our 48Sqn Hercs landed at a disused strip in Oz; they were inbound to Woomera and landed at a place slightly further north, Evett's Field IIRC.
The captain,who was quite an arrogant sort of chap (RIP), took ages to live it down.
As there was b8gger all between Darwin and Adelaide, apart from the GAFA (great australian f*ck all),not a complete surprise.
It wasn't me I hasn't to add ,and as the nav is also no longer with us, I will refrain from naming him. The co might still be around,can't remember who it was!
The captain,who was quite an arrogant sort of chap (RIP), took ages to live it down.
As there was b8gger all between Darwin and Adelaide, apart from the GAFA (great australian f*ck all),not a complete surprise.
It wasn't me I hasn't to add ,and as the nav is also no longer with us, I will refrain from naming him. The co might still be around,can't remember who it was!
Last edited by Brian 48nav; 21st July 2012 at 10:08. Reason: Extra sentence
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From: .
Last edited by Milo Minderbinder; 21st July 2012 at 10:34.
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From: Exit stage right.
Ryanair landing at Ballykelly
Easyjet pretty close to landing at Military Field in Sicily
plus numerous other ones
No sure what issue is really as its a great landing as plane is usable again.....
Easyjet pretty close to landing at Military Field in Sicily
plus numerous other ones
No sure what issue is really as its a great landing as plane is usable again.....

Joined: Aug 2006
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From: West Sussex
Northolt was another military runway parallel to a nearby major civil airport visited by wayward airliners. The gasometer on the approach was then painted with the letters NO which says it all, however it's interpreted:-
Boeing 707-321, N725PA, Pan American World Airways (PA / PAA)
Boeing 707-321, N725PA, Pan American World Airways (PA / PAA)
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From: Blighty
Short field?
Does anyone here remember when an old piston Guppy turned up at ABZ to carry a Chinook across to the US? We stood up near the compass bay, jaws agape. It didn't rotate per se - they lifted the gear and trundled along in ground effect. Some miles away and turning left it was still less height than Kirkhill which is 900ft. Cast iron clapper valves those guys.


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From: Falling off the end of the thread
Gary Numan, remember him... On his round the world flight many years ago spent his first fuel stop locked in the Guardroom at RAF Odiham, instead of having a quick stop at Lasham where he should have been, didn't bode well for the rest of the trip.




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From: Downeast
Alitalia DC-8's have been known to try a landing at Cacina Costa (Agusta Helicopters) instead of Milan Malpensa just across a small ridge to the south. One may have succeeded as I recall.
One is perhaps 4,000 feet long with some factory buildings on one side....the other is a huge airport with an 11,000 foot runway.....and lots and lots of big airliners sat all over the place.
One is perhaps 4,000 feet long with some factory buildings on one side....the other is a huge airport with an 11,000 foot runway.....and lots and lots of big airliners sat all over the place.
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From: London, New York, Paris, Moscow.
Well, I've been in the back of a RAF herc that very nearly did the same at Rome, so I guess it's not only possible but happens a lot more than we mortals realise.
Sincerely hope that the short ferry wasn't the pilots last C-17 flight.
Sincerely hope that the short ferry wasn't the pilots last C-17 flight.

Joined: Dec 2008
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From: Glesga, Scotland
News report says it was a different crew who took the plane back to Mac Dill,
hope first crew dont get in to much trouble.
What makes it worse i suppose is the fact we live in a digital age where every thing is basicly on the web before they even switched the engines off!!!!!!!!
hope first crew dont get in to much trouble.
What makes it worse i suppose is the fact we live in a digital age where every thing is basicly on the web before they even switched the engines off!!!!!!!!

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From: Wherever it is this month
That 707 landing at Northolt was in the era when they carried navigators for the transatlantic trips. And I know of at least 2 occasions on which Tornados have landed at the wrong airfield despite (or perhaps because of) the best efforts of the nav!
Last edited by Easy Street; 21st July 2012 at 18:57.

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From: UK
Back in the late '60s, RAF Sharjah and Dubai had parallel runways (12/30?) and generally used the same r/w direction with a change to 30 when the sea-breeze 'kicked-in. In the summer, the vis was never very good at low-level and each airfield could only offer VOR/NDB apps. As it happened, one day Sharjah had changed to 30 and we are coming off the VOR at about 300 feet happily looking beyond our threshold towards the far end of the R/W when out of the haze appears a PIA Trident who believed he was coming off the VOR for 12 at Dubai and happily heading for the threshold! A genuine 'brown-trouser' moment!
Some 4 years later, I am in ops at RAF Changi when the roar of thrust reversers shake me out of a light slumber. Oh dear, it was an SAS DC8 on R/W 02 who had made the error of thinking it was Paya Lebar.
Some 4 years later, I am in ops at RAF Changi when the roar of thrust reversers shake me out of a light slumber. Oh dear, it was an SAS DC8 on R/W 02 who had made the error of thinking it was Paya Lebar.

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From: with the wife
Here's another report covering the aircraft's departure.
Cause of surprise landing at Davis Islands airport unclear | TBO.com
Listen to the commentary at about 02.08.
Cause of surprise landing at Davis Islands airport unclear | TBO.com
Listen to the commentary at about 02.08.






