DL Flight lands on taxiway instead of runway at ATL

[kc2aqg]

http://wsbradio.com/localnews/2009/10/delta-flight-lands-on-taxiway.html

I am usually the first to jump to the defense of pilots, but if this is true, this is inexcusable.

[heeshung]

Didn't that happen with a Continental 757 a couple years ago at EWR?

[diegodangers]

Didn't that happen with a Continental 757 a couple years ago at EWR?

yes, yes it did.

I've heard of student pilots taking off on taxiways at larger flight schools.

[MarkLawrence]

KPBI landing on the tax ways were for the smaller 9R - it looked like a taxiway as well. Now there is a big painted section at the start of the runway to show pilots which is the runway and which is the taxiway.

[USAF Pilot 07]

Wow, I mean mistakes happen, but that is one mistake you don't ever want to make... There's really no excuse for landing on a taxiway, even with terrible weather, an Emergency Situation or anything else.

Anyone know what the weather was like? ATL is a pretty large airport, and I think all runways have a respective ILS. 6AM means it was probably dark - but if approach lighting was on and the rabbit on, it should have been clear as day where the runway was. Flying for Delta, these guys should have been no stranger to ATL.

Sucks for these guys - I imagine they are looking for non-flying jobs as we speak...

[DHG750R]

It's happened more often than it should, not only landing on a taxiway. Sometimes departing as well..
http://aviation-safety.net/database/rec ... 20020125-0 (http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20020125-0)


After departure, main landing gear tire impressions were found in a snow berm at the end of taxiway Kilo. The airplane proceeded to Taipei and landed without incident.

[Big Tim #70]

Google map ATL though. If you look @ 22R, there are 2 taxiway's that run parallel with the runway & each other. As scary as it sounds, I can kind of see how it can happen.

[PhilDernerJr]

It was dark, but as clear as could be.

[SmAlbany]

I read some of the early ntsb reporting on this. There was a check airman on the flight. He was the reason for the medical emergency. The ntsb also says that while the runway was lighted, the approach lights were not on. I'm not familiar with ATL ops. Perhaps the inboard runway is usually used for departures (like they do at LAX) and the brought them into the inner runway becuase of the time of day and the emergency? Maybe that's why the approach lights were not on.

Just guessing.

10 miles visibility, night

http://www.ntsb.gov/Pressrel/2009/091021b.html

[AirtrafficController]

I read some of the early ntsb reporting on this. There was a check airman on the flight. He was the reason for the medical emergency. The ntsb also says that while the runway was lighted, the approach lights were not on. I'm not familiar with ATL ops. Perhaps the inboard runway is usually used for departures (like they do at LAX) and the brought them into the inner runway becuase of the time of day and the emergency? Maybe that's why the approach lights were not on.

Just guessing.

10 miles visibility, night

http://www.ntsb.gov/Pressrel/2009/091021b.html

Still runways and taxiways are lighted differently. Taxiways are lighted with blue edge lights with green lights for the taxiway centerline. Runways like the ones in KATL have a Runway Edge Lighting System (edge lights turn from white to amber further down the runway), Touchdown Zone lighting (white lighting indicating the touchdown zone markings and aiming point markings), and the Runway Centerline Lighting System which is white, alternate red and white, and finally red at the end of the runway. Not to mention that runways are much wider then taxiways.

[Mateo]

ATL uses outboards for arrival, inboards for departure, at least from anecdotal evidence of 5 connections through there in the last 18 months.

[mirrodie]

Im sorry, but this type if incident seems more unacceptable than pilots flying 150 mi past the airport. Heck, at 250 knts, you can sneeze and find yourself 100mi off.


I am in shock and just can;t fathom how one can mistake a taxiway from a runway.

[USAF Pilot 07]

ATL uses outboards for arrival, inboards for departure, at least from anecdotal evidence of 5 connections through there in the last 18 months.

Speculation obviously, but could be since they had a medical emergency they asked for the inside runway to cut down their taxi distance. The tower probably had the approach lighting to the outside runway on, but probably didn't have it on for the inside runway. Could be the pilots approached the inside runway, realized they were actually lined up with the taxiway somwhere on short-final, but given they had a medical emergency (don't know the severity of it) saw the taxiway was clear and decided instead of going-around and spending 10 more minutes getting vectored back around to just land it on the taxiway.

Probably not the best decision... but it could be the only thing that "helps" the pilots out (the fact still remains they landed on a taxiway) especially if the medical emergency was a life-or-death situation...

[ChrisW]

Google map ATL though. If you look @ 22R, there are 2 taxiway's that run parallel with the runway & each other. As scary as it sounds, I can kind of see how it can happen.I think you may have just figured this whole thing out. Since there is no runway 22R in Atlanta, it wouldn't be too difficult to not land on it. In fact no runway ATL has a front course anywhere near heading 220.