Slashdot Mirror
Second SFO Disaster Avoided Seconds Before Crash
sabri writes "On July 25th, flight EVA28, a Boeing 777 flying from Taiwan to SFO, was on the final approach for runway 28L when they were alerted by ATC that they were only at 600ft above the ground at less than 4NM from the threshold. SFO's tower directed the flight crew to climb immediately and declare missed approach. Assuming they were flying at 140 knots (typical approach speed of a 777), they were less than 2 minutes from the runway and at a 3 degree angle (approx 500ft/min descent), about a minute from impact. This is the same type of aircraft and runway used by the crashed Asiana flight. Similar weather conditions and awfully similar flight path. Is there a structural problem with computer-aided pilot's ability to fly visual approaches?"
Clearly he learned so much from his last flight
Is there a structural problem with computer-aided pilot's ability to fly visual approaches?
Parse fail. I've even had my 3 cups of coffee and I got nothin'.
is to ban all airplanes. Because of the children.
I expected a little less sensationalism and a lot more intelligence from slashdot.
You must be new here. ;)
That? That was a pigeon.
never seen Die Hard 2, have you?
So the LDA is OTS at SFO and the FAA published RNAV PRM for SOIA. TTL that ATC stepped in or EVA28 would have been SOL and all passengers DOA.
Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
Because action movies are also documentaries.
-=This sig has nothing to do with my comment. Move along now=-
No dependency on computers necessary for people to do stupid things. We blame automation but incompetence, failure to follow procedures, complacency, and dysfunctional cultural norms (ethnic or professional) are often a major contributor to disasters.
At a desert oil production station (Gialo) in Libya in the 80's a pilot crashed an LAA F27 passenger plane carrying field workers when he attempted a landing on the old runway instead of the new one.
The day was perfectly clear: not a cloud in the sky. Visibility was extremely good. Virtually no wind.
The old runway had been dusted over with crushed white Saharan calichi which made it fade into the surrounding background of light tan hardpan and sand. To further discourage use of the old runway, loads of rock had been dumped in piles down the centre end to end.
The new runway was inline with and off the end of the old. Brand spanking new asphalt, black as midnight, complete with high contrast runway markings and looking like big black stripe on a pale background. A blindman in a snowstorm could not miss the dang thing; it fairly screamed LAND HERE.
The NOTAMs were updated properly and anyone flying into Gialo would see the runway info as the first item.
Nonetheless, the pilot made his usual approach over the station like he had done many many times previous and did not realize the mistake until he was just about to touch down. Pulled up but a wheel caught a rock pile and he pranged the nose into the old strip. Go figure.
No one was killed and as far as I saw, they all walked off. One fella (a Brit of some flavour) had been sleeping and stepped out saying 'What's all the fuss about?". We turned him about and, gazing at the bent props, crushed nose and broken gear, he said: "Felt like a regular landing to me."