757 Lands on Taxiway at EWR & Pilots Bolt

[zonker]

Before you guys pile on with the disparaging commentary, please consider the following:

• There is not a single blue taxiway edge light at Newark Liberty. Not a one.

• The post-cold front circling maneuver from 04R to 29 is a very challenging maneuver, especially at night/low visibility. Toss in some fatigue, and you have an environment very conducive to human error.

Didn't I already mention this?

 

[nimtz]

WOW how many times have the done that approach???

You get those gusty NW wind days in the fall/winter it will happen. They were planting everything up to size of 777's on 29 this weekend. Nothing like the scenery of Newark Bay and the Port to welcome one to the beauty of America. The frogs usually refuse it in the A-340, which makes their landings on 4R/22L not exactly look like poetry in motion.

 

[Captain Overs]

You guys seem quick to defend such a stupid thing without knowing the facts. Things happen, however, we are talking about landing on a taxi way. I guess next time it will be ok to land on the ramp as long as no one is hurt?

 

[zonker]

You guys seem quick to defend such a stupid thing without knowing the facts. Things happen, however, we are talking about landing on a taxi way. I guess next time it will be ok to land on the ramp as long as no one is hurt?

Oh brother.

 

[General Lee]

How old was the Captain?


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[Phaedrus]

59 and 11 months. He was on his cell phone calling his senator during the short final. I read it on the 'Onion'. A very reputable news source.

 

[wmuflyguy]

You guys seem quick to defend such a stupid thing without knowing the facts. Things happen, however, we are talking about landing on a taxi way. I guess next time it will be ok to land on the ramp as long as no one is hurt?

That may save cash on gas.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

Even better than that is the ILS 11 circle 29...stay over the Runway 4 at 1000' .... they call your base, chop and drop, and it looks more like a 172 pattern than a jet. You better be configured over the numbers or you will never make it.

 

[LearLove]

Who cares, no blood no foul. It's not like this is the first time its ever happened. US Air (737) landed on the taxiway in DTW a few years back.

 

[SWAlifter]

Don't know that I believe it. The NY Post isn't exactly a high quality rag, and I can't find any reference to the event on any other media outlet.

Try CNN. http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/10/31/missed.runway.ap/index.html

Sure, it may be conceivable that they would land on a taxiway, but how could they not notify anyone.

Tower: "Continental 757, take a left on Charile, right on Sierra...."

CO 757: "Uh, we're already on Sierra"

Could happen to any of us. Sure hope I'd have the guts to fess up.

 

[Pat Fabin]

Just gives more kindling for my "CAL SUX" fire.

 

[Big Slick]

Sounds like these guys were pretty darn good - landing a 757 on a 70' wide taxiway.

It's called: "Using your superior piloting abilities to make up for a total lack of situational awareness."

Personally, I'm impressed.

 

[humuakalaka]

I'm really not very familiar with EWR, however, I suppose it's possible that if they were confused enough to land on the taxiway they may have been confused enough to not even realize they landed on the taxiway esp if they are unlit as other folks here have described. Goodness knows I've screwed up before and not realized until later or until someone pointed it out.

 

[SFR]

Just to throw it out there:

The captain was not a scab and the FO was hired pre 9/11/01.

How it happened???? Beyond me?

 

[Amish RakeFight]

And CO hasn't called to interview me???

Why, have you mastered the art of landing aircraft on narrow taxiways?





.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Not exusing what happened, but EWR doesn't have any taxiway edge lighting. I don't think there are any other major US airports that can say that (but I'm not positive).

Combine that with a relatively challenging circling approach and I can certainly see how it could happen.

This is true, yet every runway I've landed on at night had runway edge lights. They could have at least informed tower that the "runway lights" were OTS.

 

[cjdriver]

This is true, yet every runway I've landed on at night had runway edge lights. They could have at least informed tower that the "runway lights" were OTS.

Glad someone mentioned that. I was wondering if it was just me that didn't see the reasoning behind that comment. In fact, if it's not lighted, how did he even see it to land on it?

 

[ground stop]

so, they landed but didn't tell anyone? the only evidence was skidmarks on the taxiway? i wouldn't hang 'em just yet.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

so, they landed but didn't tell anyone? the only evidence was skidmarks on the taxiway? i wouldn't hang 'em just yet.

I hate to speculate but I'm going to guess that at some point during the flare or crossing the "threshold" that they realized they made a boo boo. Those dang lights on the wings and nose gear have a way of lighting a narrow taxiway up. I don't doubt that they hoped no one would notice. But of course as this is speculation, maybe they BOTH didn't notice this. Hard to imagine though.

 

[TurboS7]

Recurrent has been full of taxiway markings and hold short lines and powerpoint presentations about runway incursions. Now it is going to be about what a runway looks like.