Pilot lands in Airbase by mistake

[medik06]

Too bad we dont have a Derry feed, would have been interesting to listen to   lol  

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4857962.stm

[Lezam]

How the heck does something like that happen? Thats crazy....

We cant have UK feeds I think. Its a law or something...

[digger]

I can't say what happens here in the states if you actually land on a military runway by mistake, but I do have some idea (secondhand information--one person I knew actually did this, and in a second case my wife was working at the facility at the time), of what happens if you mistakenly taxi past the "red line" onto the military ramp at a civilian airport, that is also home to a military installation.

People, with very little senses of humor, but very big M-16s, greet you before you can even step out of your airplane. What they lack in humor, they do make up for in curiousity, evidenced by the fact that they ask you lots and lots of questions...

[KSYR-pjr]

I can't say what happens here in the states if you actually land on a military runway by mistake, but I do have some idea (secondhand information--one person I knew actually did this, and in a second case my wife was working at the facility at the time), of what happens if you mistakenly taxi past the "red line" onto the military ramp at a civilian airport, that is also home to a military installation.

People, with very little senses of humor, but very big M-16s, greet you before you can even step out of your airplane. What they lack in humor, they do make up for in curiousity, evidenced by the fact that they ask you lots and lots of questions...

The airport at which I am based also has an Air National Guard base of F-16s.  The main southside taxiway where the FBOs, avionics, and maintenance hangars are located passes right by the intersection where the F-16s turn in to park.

Just the other day I overheard the ground controller providing progressive taxi instructions to a transient pilot.  The controller included in his instructions, "Oh, whatever you do, don't mistakenly turn left on taxiway Juliet and enter the guard base there.   If you do, the MPs will be forced to greet you, and they won't be all that happy."

Most times when the F-16s aren't on one of the twice-daily sorties, there usually are a couple of vans parked at the taxiway entrance into the base, serving as a barrier of sorts.

[tyketto]

Actually, it happened in the USA not too long ago (read: little less than a year ago).

Northwest Airlines pilot was flying a puddlehop from KMSP to KRAP, and had mistaken KRCA (Ellsworth AFB) for Rapid City regional. RCA is to the immediate north, and where the combined TRACON/RAPCON is.

Let's just say that the passengers had to keep their window shades closed, and the pilot got grilled.

BL.

[Biff]

Heh.  As a student on my first night cross country I was talking to Melbourne tower while lining up an approach into Patrick AFB.  And yes, my CFI was on board and he was the one that convinced me that we were looking at the correct airport.

Thankfully, while on long final KMLB tower got concerned when he couldn't see us and figured out where we were.  He was also kind enough to call the AFB and let them know what was going on so I never saw any fast-movers up close and personal.  Whew!  

[digger]

From another site:


Quote:
ATC: "confirm your DME"
Eirjet: "we're on the ground"
ATC: "you've landed at Ballykelly"
Eirjet: "I know"

[Tomato]

I can just imagine what the pilot was thinking as he realized what was going on...  

Where did you get that from, digger?  

[digger]

I'm not sure of the original source. I cut and pasted it verbatum, including the sentence, "From another site: ", from a thread on Airdisaster.Com Forums.