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Last minutes of TACA 390

May 31, 2008 | Tegucigalpa, Florida, Honduras | Vetting explained

Bronder Posted by:
Bronder

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This is the last 15 minutes of radio transmissions of Toncontin's tower and approach frequencies.

 

At minute 2 of the audio file you can hear controllers discussing why the airplane decided to land on runway 02 instead of 20. Later the pilot requests surface wind condition and is given to him by the approach controller. The wind information is not good for a landing at runway 02. A landing at runway 20 would be prefered, but for some reason (maybe visibility), the pilot choses 02.

 

As the flight is handed off to the tower controller he confirms with the pilot that he indeed wants to land in runway 02 and states the winds, which are still not good for a landing at runway 02.

 

 

As the pilot confirms he is on final approach the tower controller cautions him that the runway is wet and gives him again the wind conditions (still not the best conditions for a runway 02 landing, with wind at 180 degrees 7 knots).

 

 

No more is hear a few seconds after as it would be normal to wait for the plane to slowdown to turn it over to surface control. Instead the plane skidded of the north end.

 

 

Have a spanish aviation expert listen to the audio and you will see it was pilot error by not noticing the new wind conditions and landing with a strong tailwind and wet runway despite having being warned about it by the tower controller repeatedly.

 

 

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