VS B744 gets stuck turning at the end of the runway in Antigua!!!
 

Just heard from a friend that lives in Antigua that a VS plane just ran off the runway....the airport is closed until further notice...its not on the news as yet....looking for updates....

A SWAG from the VS website, looks cancelled until tomorrow:

All too easy to do. Have done many backtracks in 747s on that runway. It was waiting to happen IMHO.

Yes so have I and it is worse in the Triple. It is time there were decent lights at the intersection and end turning areas.

Was always concerned on the A340-300, using the turning bays always had me on edge(no pun intended). Hewanorra St Lucia) was just as bad. The 346 is too long to do the turn.

Folks.

I really don't think we can pass any comment on this until one of the experts has a go on Microsoft Flight Simulator and gives us the real take on what happened here.

Now that is funny!:}

Wasn't it in Antigua where a BA 777 sank into the soft tarmac after the back-track turn and also closed the airport?

Yep
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=54985

It must be about six years ago that the parallel taxiway was half finished before the funds ran out.

Until the requirement for a 180 at the end is removed by the finishing of the taxiway there will always be the odd "error". As long as it is accepted by the appropriate management and not blamed on the crew there is no problem.

I remember one of our 777 training captains knocking a lamppost over at Grenada with his wingtip. Bit embarrassing but that's all.

Most of these Caribbean airfields were designed for Dakotas and apart from the runways being extended not a lot of the other facilities have been enlarged... enough said.

The title should be "Virgin DRIVES of the runway in Antigua".

When I see 'runs off' I'm thinking 60knots+
and not the 10kts at which this happened.

first news source i've seen http://www.crash-aerien.com/www/news...d=7152&check=0

Havn't been to ANU in since 2005/2006 but if memory serves me correctly the line in the turn around button goes straight off the pavement or comes to close to the of the pavement before it commands a turn.

I seem to recall two airports like that in the Caribbean. My standard comment is "I wouldn't recommend following that line." :ooh:

Virgin Off
 

We landed as the incident happened last night.EITHER the nose wheel steering failed and the plane slid off the runway in the right turn to line up 07 OR the turn was misjudged and the aircraft slid off.The runway was DAMP.The nose wheel and port main gear were in the grass and port wing about 25 feet from the airport perimeter fence.
There is very poor lighting and this incident has happened before apparently.I dont know how those 747s,340s,777s make that tight turn at night!!!

And it will happen again until:

1. The long haul carriers upon whom the island depend, collectively put the screws on the govt and show that it is the facilities and not the carriers at fault.
   
   OR
2. Someone dies.

I think the aircraft involved is G-VROY just to let you know

From the comments on the report quoted above - "Images de l'avion dans l'herbe". The French word I'm thinking of is only two letters different to herbe :)

I know that nothing's ever 'just one of those things' in this business, but surely this comes close! Red faces, bit of disruption, lots more banter and paperwork, lessons learned. I hope nobody really ends up dans l'wotsit.

R

http://www.crash-aerien.com/_multimedia/VS34-2.jpg

and the winner for the best "stupide and idiot men" in the world is for mister
geoffrey hill:D

so brillant ,intelligent comment regarding this incident.....:{

i never heard a stupid comment like this.....hope you re not a member of mod...i want to leave in peace....

I don't know why my comment of the idiot was removed, I'm sure it represents a number of posters.

Oh and I hope he got a warning from the mods.