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A US PASSENGER jet with 130 travellers on board mistakenly landed at a US Air Force base, Delta Airlines has confirmed.
The flight from Minneapolis/St Paul in Minnesota was due to land in Rapid City, South Dakota late on Thursday night, but landed in Ellsworth Air Force Base, some 11 miles to the north of the airport.
A Delta statement said that the pilot took off and landed at Rapid City not long after the mistake.
“The Airbus A320 aircraft had 130 customers on board and was in-bound from Minneapolis/St. Paul. The flight re-departed for Rapid City Thursday night after coordinating with officials.
“Delta has contacted the customers of this flight and offered a gesture of apology for the inconvenience.”
A spokesperson for the base told the Rapid City Journal that they had to ensure the safety of all involved.
“Base officials followed the proper procedures to address the situation and ensure the safety of our airmen, their families and the passengers.
“The aircraft departed for Rapid City Regional Airport later that night.”
A passenger told the paper they had waited around two and a half hours to take off again, but only after armed personnel searched the plane.
Delta said the pilots involved have been taken off duty pending an investigation.
130 travelers on board? I’d say that was some craic boss
Were we not allowed in the other airport boss ? I swear boss its just the two of us boss.
Oops
2nd time in 12 months southwest did it last year. Air traffic control is managed by both civilian and military towers, both airports runways are laid on in the same direction.
You have to beg the question…why wasnt the pilot identing outer and middle markers and tuned to the ils….some fcuk up
Bloody Sat-navs, dangerous things.
Should have gone to Specsavers
Female pilots are nothing but trouble
And you’re nothing but a Neanderthal
Good man Mick.
If the US airforce was as trigger happy as the cops over there the outcome could have been do much worse.
I make this comment having full respect for those officers murdered while on duty in Dallas but also cognisant that few looking in from the civilised world can support the effective shoot to kill policy which seems to be the norm in some US states.
Thanks you said that great I’m a 50 year old black guy chill still goes up my spine when the police pull me over don’t get me wrong they’re very polite and it’s a really good area and always get let go even after speeding but in the back of my mind a little afraid
You almost seem like you were apologizing before you made the comment people have to understand if you criticize the police it does not mean you hate them I want them to not kill me and I just hold them to a higher standard take for instance the police in my town we have a hundred and forty of them and they make an average of about 110 to $160,000 a year before overtime if you check the stats at the end of the year it’s more like about two hundred thousand dollars for that money they should be very careful and be very well trained we pay top dollar for the cops we deserve the best service and protection
Happened years ago in Derry where a plane landed in Ballykelly military airport rather than the City of Derry.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/4857962.stm
S brilliant story. Did you see that Eirjet was owned by Ryanair. Laugh they bused the travellers to Derry City airport! Some balls.
It was on BBC news at the time, some very shocked and bemused passengers as they were surrounded by equally bewildered soldiers!! Very funny but also slightly annoying for them!!
Apparently the pilot asked to be cleared for landing and the boys in the tower in Derry were like “where are you? You’re not here that for sure” but it was too late and it was landed in the wrong place!!
Just as well their transponder, that transmits a code as to your identity, was working correctly !
Could happen to any of us.
Must have been flying rendition flights prior to moving to passenger airlines.
Sure didn’t the shuttle land in Shannon ….
No but Shannon was an emergency landing opinion for the shuttle…
*option
Easily done
Possibly Ryanair, they usually fly to locations that are near to where you wanted to fly to.
I think Ryanair did do it a few years ago. Missed Derry airport!
It was actually a charter company called Eirjet doing some ACMI work for Ryanair . Seemingly the RWY shares the same coordinates at the RAF Base is the same as City of Derry airport. I remember an e mail going around with a photo shop of the planes tail with Eeejet on it.
Eirjet aircraft was trialing Eircode…
Easy mistake to make. No big deal. It’s when they fly into mountains and oceans that things are really tragic.
I thought these things flew themselves, pilots only take off and land.
Finding the airport is part of landing.
Yah just can’t trust those sat navs!
Close enough is good enough
DELTA
Don’t even leave the airport!
Back in the 500/60′s etc CIE used to run a thing called the ‘Mystery Train’ i.e. a day-trip train ticket to an undisclosed location……it appears like airlines are looking to bring the concept back…..
Thats a little strange, the pilots are always in contact with the tower on thier approach. This does not make sense at all.
Noob pilot?
Further proof that standards of training for European pilots is a tad higher.
Who do they think they are? Ryanair?? :)
Should have gone to ,Speck savers
Pressganging unknowing passengers
Works the other way as well…
Ryan air.
This happens all the time.
The Yankees are training for something.
Who knows what.
Pity it was’nt an Aer Lingus flight. Well they land at our airport.
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