NTSB Report on October Delta 767 Taxiway Landing in Atlanta

[Matt Molnar]

The NTSB has published a preliminary incident report regarding the Delta 767 from Rio de Janeiro which landed on a taxiway at Atlanta Hartsfield Intl. Airport on Oct. 19th. The report cites a number of unusual circumstances which preceded the error, in which luckily, no one was injured.

+ A check airman became sick enroute and was relocated to the main cabin.
+ A medical emergency was declared to ATC via Delta dispatchers.
+ Runway 27L was being used for arrivals that morning, but ATC offered the crew use of 27R via a sidestep approach, to put them closer to the terminal in order to expedite aid to the sick check airman.
+ Because it was not the baseline approach runway at the time, 27R's ILS and approach lights were not operating.

http://www.ntsb.gov/NTSB/brief.asp?ev_i ... 5636&key=1

[afr022]

so it wasn't their fault

[Matt Molnar]

so it wasn't their fault

They haven't made a final ruling on that yet. I'm pretty sure they'll still be found at fault despite the circumstances.

[hiss srq]

I think there will be some pilot fault but considering circumstances there will probably not be a huge amount of blame sholdered to the crew actually. If they have good aviation lawyers they will beat the rap all together.

[cancidas]

they'll probably say there were mitigating factors involved, but ultimately it's up to the crew to realize they're not landing on a runway.