C-17 Mistakenly Lands at Wrong Airport

[Stealth_81]

C-17 Lands at Peter O. Knight Airport

We have passed this airport when leaving on cruises from the Port of Tampa. I guess you've got to give the guy some credit for stopping a C-17 on a 3400 ft. runway. What I really can't understand is how he mistook this airport for MacDill AFB across the Bay.

Stealth_81

[scoutpilot]

Originally Posted by Stealth_81

C-17 Lands at Peter O. Knight Airport

We have passed this airport when leaving on cruises from the Port of Tampa. I guess you've got to give the guy some credit for stopping a C-17 on a 3400 ft. runway. What I really can't understand is how he mistook this airport for MacDill AFB across the Bay.

Stealth_81

"It's not science fiction..."

[bjkuds]

Originally Posted by Stealth_81

C-17 Lands at Peter O. Knight Airport

We have passed this airport when leaving on cruises from the Port of Tampa. I guess you've got to give the guy some credit for stopping a C-17 on a 3400 ft. runway. What I really can't understand is how he mistook this airport for MacDill AFB across the Bay.

Stealth_81

Davis Island Airport is only a few miles north...and I am told they appear to look similar When hubby was stationed there in the 80's a Delta plane landed at MacDill instead of Tampa International and they are opposite ends of the city.. more than one small plane pilot ended up on the tarmac surrounded by 56th SPS in the 3+ years we lived there

[LineInTheSand]

Guess we should be thankful that these guys fly C-17s and not B-2s.


Wonder how many millions of dollars the bill will be for the tax payer to move it.... cause it aint taking off!

[goaliedad]

Originally Posted by LineInTheSand

Guess we should be thankful that these guys fly C-17s and not B-2s.


Wonder how many millions of dollars the bill will be for the tax payer to move it.... cause it aint taking off!

That pilot won't make that mistake again. I'm sure his desk will have plenty of runway...

[flieger83]

Originally Posted by bjkuds

Davis Island Airport is only a few miles north...and I am told they appear to look similar When hubby was stationed there in the 80's a Delta plane landed at MacDill instead of Tampa International and they are opposite ends of the city.. more than one small plane pilot ended up on the tarmac surrounded by 56th SPS in the 3+ years we lived there

I was sitting in a 4-ship getting ready to launch of of MacDill in the 80's...and we watched a B727 roll out on final and land at MacDill...and then he pushed the power up and did a touch-and-go and turned toward Tampa!!!

We had a great laugh and then the tower controller asked our lead: "Hawk Lead...does anyone in your flight know what DELTA stands for?"

"Negative..."

"Don't EVER Land There Again!"

It was a fun flight home!

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83

[bjkuds]

Originally Posted by flieger83

I was sitting in a 4-ship getting ready to launch of of MacDill in the 80's...and we watched a B727 roll out on final and land at MacDill...and then he pushed the power up and did a touch-and-go and turned toward Tampa!!!

We had a great laugh and then the tower controller asked our lead: "Hawk Lead...does anyone in your flight know what DELTA stands for?"

"Negative..."

"Don't EVER Land There Again!"

It was a fun flight home!

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83

I cant imagine having the skills/talent/brains to fly... but I'm thinking the row of F16's visible on approach might make you re evaluate the decision.

[raimius]

The runways are oriented pretty similarly, but a 3400x100ft runway should look a bit different than an 11,000+ft runway.

[Pima]

I have to agree with bjkuds and raimius, not only those things, but seriously why didn't he question the proximity of the runway to a golf course?

Any pilot that served in the AF prior to being a busdriver in the sky would have immediately known golf course = AFB!

[bjkuds]

Originally Posted by Pima

I have to agree with bjkuds and raimius, not only those things, but seriously why didn't he question the proximity of the runway to a golf course?

Any pilot that served in the AF prior to being a busdriver in the sky would have immediately known golf course = AFB!

Umm.. I think in MacDill's case it is 2 golf courses :) At least the 2nd one was being planned when I was there