Ryanair flight lands at wrong UK airfield

sab319 · Post by **sab319** » 29 Mar 2006, 21:39

ooops...

An aircraft operating a Ryanair flight landed today by mistake at a virtually-disused army airfield in Northern Ireland, the aircraft landed at Ballykelly airfield, known locally as Shackleton Barracks, at 14:47 today instead of its intended destination of nearby City of Derry airport in Londonderry.

http://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/20 ... field.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4857962.stm
http://u.tv/newsroom/indepth.asp?pt=n&id=71913

Well didn't a similar incident happen in the US a while ago too??

This can only mean 1 thing, pilot training isn't what it used to be anymore...

Post by **luchtzak** » 29 Mar 2006, 21:45

Well it happened in Belgium as well, an American airliner supposed to land in Frankfurt but ended up at Brussels Airport. I speak of many years ago

jelger · Post by **jelger** » 29 Mar 2006, 21:58

:thumbsup2:

it did have a good end, so this is for laughs...

other than that.. completely messed up...

airazurxtror · Post by **airazurxtror** » 29 Mar 2006, 23:47

It seems it was an Eirjet aircraft operated by an Eirjet crew (on behalf of Ryanair). Such a mistake can be made by a pilot not used to a route. Hard to imagine it happening to a genuine Ryanair crew ...

Eurapart · Post by **Eurapart** » 29 Mar 2006, 23:58

The 39 passengers were taken by coach from Ballykelly to the airport.

Another passenger said they had to wait on the plane while stairs were brought from the airport.

All these stories of Ryanair flying to airports nobody has heard of a long bus journey away from their destination turns out to be true after all.

John

YYZ727 · Post by **YYZ727** » 30 Mar 2006, 09:02

The US incident involved a Continental 737, which was supposed to land in Corpus Christi, Texas, but landed on a nearby military airfield.
The Brussels incident jan-olieslagers is referring to, involved a Northwest DC-10.

Post by **sn26567** » 30 Mar 2006, 09:44

I am curious to know whether the passengers of the cancelled return flight got any compensation. After all, in this case, Ryanair is clearly at fault!

Tommypilot · Post by **Tommypilot** » 30 Mar 2006, 10:08

How is that possible? IRS malfunction?? Wrong ICAO code inserted? (maybe the most relevant reason)

I don't think its Ryanair's direct fault as this flight was operated by EiJet crew on behalf of RYR...

Does ATC not get the route which had to be followed??

Very curious...

website-info · Post by **website-info** » 30 Mar 2006, 10:12

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EBAW_flyer · Post by **EBAW_flyer** » 30 Mar 2006, 10:16

The Northwest plane was a combination of pilot error (for not noticing it) and the fault of Irish or English ATC who had mistakenly sent the aircraft for an arrival in Brussels. The crew didn't notice it until the last second because the colour of the runway was different in Frankfurt

. But they decided to land in Brussels (probably not enough fuel to turn around again, climb back up and to fly to Frankfurt)

Brussels ATC attributed the original error to the Shannon ATC controller entering an incorrect code to the ATC flight-plan data. The Irish Aviation Authority denies this, saying the correct code was passed to London ATCC, the last such ATCC before Brussels. Brussels maintains that when the aircraft got to them, the destination data had been changed. `A senior Brussels ATC official' confirms that NW52 was cleared by London ATCC as it left the London control region to descend to 24,000 ft (I think they mean Flight Level 240 but I'm not sure -- I'll use FL's anyway). The aircraft's planned track for Frankfurt would have taken it over Belgium at FL370 under control of Maastricht ATCC in the Netherlands, which handles traffic over FL245 across Belgium.

NW52 also addressed Brussels as `Frankfurt' on contact, and numerous times thereafter. Brussels ATC didn't question the `addressing error', apparently. They were also cleared to a VOR, Bruno, that they didn't recognise, and asked for the frequency. They were cleared for an ILS RWY 25L approach, which is the same runway orientation as at Frankfurt, but with a different ILS frequency. NW says that the crew must share responsibility, no matter what happened with ATC (this is in any case what aviation law requires).

Depretair · Post by **Depretair** » 30 Mar 2006, 12:04

I don't understand how it is possible to do this kind of error in 2006. Are the pilots looking to their screens ? Anyway... They will only do it once.. (i hope

Mighty · Post by **Mighty** » 30 Mar 2006, 12:12

But if you fly a visual approach..... and both pilots look outside..... and the 2 airports are very.... VERY close to eachother..... Than, perhaps.....

I can't believe it!

Mighty · Post by **Mighty** » 30 Mar 2006, 12:41

a quote from PPRUNE:

Sorry to report I saw the incident happen and also heard it on the radio. The A320 crew elected to go around after losing the ILS signals and asked for circuit details. From a viewing position west of Eglinton I saw the A320 turned downwind RH at EGQB(I believe the pilot said he thought he was to high to land but he looked perfect to me i.e. wrong airfield). The radio at EGAE got rather involved on the servicablity of the ILS and the controller annouced he was listening( on an Icom) to the ident though it could not be recognised. The Calibrater was holding at 15miles east and all the lights were on even the flashing lead in approach lights. The A320 turned tight base at Ballykelly and then disappeared from my view. The controller asked for a DME and pilot reported on the ground. He landed on 26 at EGQB stopping just short of the railway line that crosses the runway.

Unfortunate error or lots of errors I am afraid.

jelger · Post by **jelger** » 30 Mar 2006, 13:14

I don't think its Ryanair's direct fault as this flight was operated by EiJet crew on behalf of RYR...

it may not be a direct Ryan Air fault, but it cannot be this way that airlines can get away without compensation whatsoever as result of a 3rd party airline hired.

Mighty · Post by **Mighty** » 30 Mar 2006, 13:20

Tommypilot wrote:I don't think its Ryanair's direct fault as this flight was operated by EiJet crew on behalf of RYR...

I don't think it does matter who they where flying for..... it is just a major mistake made by the pilots!

Ovostar · Post by **Ovostar** » 30 Mar 2006, 13:31

This is really a scarry story!

the same thing almost happened with a crossair, he almost landed in Aoste, while he wanted to land in Sion

mark_in_motion · Post by **mark_in_motion** » 30 Mar 2006, 13:32

I remember an incident with Ryanair at Eindhoven airport, some years ago.... they landed while the airport was closed...

letscruise · Post by **letscruise** » 30 Mar 2006, 13:37

We are all humans and born to make mistakes.
This could happen to anyone, this crew had just very bad luck.
Don't throw the first stone.
Of course it is easy to blame, just be glad it didn't happen to you.....

Ovostar · Post by **Ovostar** » 30 Mar 2006, 13:39

Yeah, but a plane could have suddenly be on the military runway, and a collision could have happened....

What kind of aircraft are in this air base ?

They say they don't know what to do with the plane, why doesn't the plane just take off ?