Investigation Launched Into Airport Runway Incident

[snoop1130]

 

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Ministry of Transport has launched an investigation into a Thai AirAsia flight that landed on the wrong runway at Don Mueang Airport, which could have resulted in a serious aviation accident.

 

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) reported that the Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation Committee (AAIC) is currently investigating the incident that occurred on May 4, 2022, in which Thai AirAsia Flight FD3141 landed on a different runway than the one scheduled. Although no injuries were reported, an investigation was launched since the incident can be deemed serious under Annex 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) convention.

 

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The Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai) said it has summoned air-traffic control officers for questioning, adding that anyone found at fault could face temporary suspension. Thai AirAsia has meanwhile apologized for the incident and suspended the flight’s pilot and co-pilot pending an investigation.

 

According to CAAT, the investigation is expected to be completed within 30 days. The agency will then determine who is to be held responsible and use the data to develop prevention measures to ensure that similar incidents do not occur in the future.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2022-05-25

 

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[sammieuk1]

Was it the right airport in the right country ????

[wombat]

Doesn't matter...all the amulets were up to date.

[Geoffggi]

9 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai) said it has summoned air-traffic control officers for questioning, adding that anyone found at fault could face temporary suspension.

Nice to see positive action being taken

[CANSIAM]

Alarming…….ATC, Captain and First Officer approach and land on the wrong runway…….

[vandeventer]

7 minutes ago, Geoffggi said:

Nice to see positive action being taken

It sounds like air traffic control may be at fault as the pilot and co-pilot are strictly checked for alcohol.

[hotchilli]

10 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

According to CAAT, the investigation is expected to be completed within 30 days. The agency will then determine who is to be held responsible and use the data to develop prevention measures to ensure that similar incidents do not occur in the future.

Can only be the pilots, as they have already stated that they landed on the wrong runway....

As for prevention measures they already exist.

Instruments are in the aircraft which give the pilots a visual indication of their aircraft position in relation to the "indicated landing runway" during a VFR laanding.

however if you don't look at them and "presume" you're correct then you won't know for sure.

No need for extra measures, just use the ones already installed to prevent this from happening.

 

[Excel]

Guess they are looking for a foreigner to blame it on

[Asquith Production]

2 hours ago, CANSIAM said:

Alarming…….ATC, Captain and First Officer approach and land on the wrong runway…….

Come on. Its hard enough to land a plane but even harder when on your phone

[PETERTHEEATER]

The two main runways to which this flight would have been directed are parallel with each other defined as Left and Right. Seems the crew landed in the correct direction but on the wrong runway. Must have disturbed the Director playing golf...????

[kcpattaya]

R = L

No Plobplem...

[apetryxx]

Quite possible. First of all, ATC communication is in English and from personal experience (especially if the weather is bad) I can tell you that rapid fire radio commands can easily be garbled particularly when English is your second language. Worldwide, pilots are regularly checked for their aviation English fluency but for domestic flights it can be rudimentary. In any case, don’t make assumptions about a situation that may have a simple answer. We’ll see what happened when the dust settles.

[dddave]

20 minutes ago, kcpattaya said:

R = L

No Plobplem...

In an article in another publication, the sometimes murky distinction with Thai speakers between spoken "L" & "R" could have been at the center of this incident.  The runways in question both have either L or R in their designation

[mikeymike100]

2 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Can only be the pilots, as they have already stated that they landed on the wrong runway....

As for prevention measures they already exist.

Instruments are in the aircraft which give the pilots a visual indication of their aircraft position in relation to the "indicated landing runway" during a VFR laanding.

however if you don't look at them and "presume" you're correct then you won't know for sure.

No need for extra measures, just use the ones already installed to prevent this from happening.

 

Did ATC tell the pilots to land on the "wrong" runway? When the tapes are played back they will find out, if its ATC or the pilots.

[sambum]

3 hours ago, vandeventer said:

It sounds like air traffic control may be at fault as the pilot and co-pilot are strictly checked for alcohol.

So you're saying that drink is to blame? I bet you're a tee totaller!

[vandeventer]

10 minutes ago, sambum said:

So you're saying that drink is to blame? I bet you're a tee totaller!

 

10 minutes ago, sambum said:

So you're saying that drink is to blame? I bet you're a tee totaller!

No, and I am not a TEA person as it is much too strong for me.

[CLW]

What time the accident occurred?

Usually the runway code is shown in big letters on the ground. 

Also it must have been visible on the digital map on the aircraft?

And for communication with the tower, don't they use some prefix for single letters like 21 Romeo and 21 Lima?

[Excel]

Just now, CLW said:

What time the accident occurred?

Usually the runway code is shown in big letters on the ground. 

Also it must have been visible on the digital map on the aircraft?

And for communication with the tower, don't they use some prefix for single letters like 21 Romeo and 21 Lima?

Maybe they were practising sign language ? ????

[Jimbo 12345]

Lot if aviation experts on this topic  55555

[Harveyboy]

5 hours ago, wombat said:

Doesn't matter...all the amulets were up to date.

Fly like they drive ..any direction ..anywhere ..anytime..

[CANSIAM]

3 hours ago, Asquith Production said:

Come on. Its hard enough to land a plane but even harder when on your phone

Possible flight attendant distraction in the cockpit..........

[Hanuman2547]

Pilot:  Oops!  My bad.

[SomchaiDIY]

38 minutes ago, Jimbo 12345 said:

Lot if aviation experts on this topic  55555

Yes many expert from computer chair

 

Investigation report will show who is fault

Here is correct landing at 21R 

 

 

[Hanuman2547]

3 hours ago, Excel said:

Guess they are looking for a foreigner to blame it on

Any Burmese on board??

[orchidfan]

1 hour ago, CLW said:

What time the accident occurred?

Usually the runway code is shown in big letters on the ground. 

Also it must have been visible on the digital map on the aircraft?

And for communication with the tower, don't they use some prefix for single letters like 21 Romeo and 21 Lima?

No. The runways are normally called 21 Right or 21 Left......same as radar headings are given as "right heading" or "left heading".

Yes, the runways are marked with the 21R or 21L on the threshold, but by the time you see that at 130 knots you're on it.

As others have pointed out, there are plenty of "measures" to ensure that you are on the correct runway..... the ATIS will mostly nominate the landing runway ( but in the case od DMK this can be changed to suit traffic etc), also the Arrival clearance or STAR will nominate the runway as will the Approach Controller and finally the Tower controller.

Even on a Visual Approach it is normal procedure (SOP) to input and identify the ILS approach for that runway as a secondary cross check.

Finally, the landing clearance issued by the tower controller (SHOULD) will include the runway identifier......"Runway 21 Left, cleared to land"

[martand]

2 hours ago, dddave said:

In an article in another publication, the sometimes murky distinction with Thai speakers between spoken "L" & "R" could have been at the center of this incident.  The runways in question both have either L or R in their designation

Don't they use NATO Phonetic alphabet  (i.e. Romeo / Lima) in Tower control-airplane communications?

[orchidfan]

1 minute ago, martand said:

Don't they use NATO Phonetic alphabet  (i.e. Romeo / Lima) in Tower control-airplane communications?

No.

[orchidfan]

By the way, I think it's ICAO phonetic alpahbet, not NATO!!

And, yes, taxiways are referred to using the phonetic alphabet....." take taxiway Alpha and hld short of Juliet" for example.

But not runways normally.....although I've heard some ( mostly Japanese  and Korean) pilots read back using the "runway 25 Romeo" etc.

Which is fine.. a bit like mask wearing....a personal choice, or part of their SOP's

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, mikeymike100 said:

Did ATC tell the pilots to land on the "wrong" runway? When the tapes are played back they will find out, if its ATC or the pilots.

ATC cannot tell you to land on the "wrong runway"?
You land on the one they tell you to, if you do that then there is no problem

[unless it's closed for some reason]

these guys landed on another one to what they were told to.

[The Hammer2021]

Better to land on the wrong runway of Don muang than the correct one at Luton!