Plane aborting landing over Northwood, Santry last night

highdef

Anyone living around Northwood in Santry last night? I'm in Lymewood Mews and some time after midnight (can't remember the exact time), I heard a plane approaching. It got louder and louder and then all of a sudden I could hear a huge roar as it went to full throttle. The walls were literally rattling and I could see the flash of the strobes on the plane through the blinds! By the time I jumped out of bed and got the blinds up to look out, the plane was ascending again but seriously low. I have a clear view of the airport from my apt and it was as if the plane was attempting to land at (I think) runway 16/34. However, if this was the case, the plane should have been further east than it was as other planes landed shortly afterwards and were about .5 - 1km away. The plane that went over was not far overhead and was seriously low - I was actually quite terrified. The walls vibrating and immense roar of the engines at full throttle was not exactly sleep inducing. Would this be a normal occurance?

Davidth88

May have been landing on the cross runway ?

Are there that many flights after midnight then , even LHR is pretty quiet after midnight until the long hauls start streaming in aroun 05:00

Sounds interesting though

therecklessone

I *think* 10/28 is closed this week for rubber removal so it sounds like the aircraft in question was on approach to runway 34.

There is no ILS to runway 34, only a VOR approach which is non-precision. Its not unusual to have aircraft appearing "off course" on a non-precision approach.

No idea why the aircraft appeared as low as it did, perhaps on a visual approach?

highdef

Yes, it appeared to be attempting to land on the cross runway, 34. But it was a good few 100 metres off course. Runway 28 appears to be open (I'm assuming thats the normal one where you approach from the east and travel over the Portmarnock/Balgriffin area? I can see the planes landing and taking off on it. from the window beside me. But the approach for runway 34 would be a few 100 metres to the east of me as I have seen planes on this approach before. The altitude though, is my main worry. It was pretty low and the full throttle as it roared up overhead made it seem a lot worse, I guess

therecklessone

highdef wrote:

Yes, it appeared to be attempting to land on the cross runway, 34. But it was a good few 100 metres off course. Runway 28 appears to be open (I'm assuming thats the normal one where you approach from the east and travel over the Portmarnock/Balgriffin area? I can see the planes landing and taking off on it. from the window beside me. But the approach for runway 34 would be a few 100 metres to the east of me as I have seen planes on this approach before. The altitude though, is my main worry. It was pretty low and the full throttle as it roared up overhead made it seem a lot worse, I guess

Sorry, meant to say 10/28 closed at night for rubber removal.

Chuchu

I have searched ALL day for a news item on this... I am no aviation expert but I'm glad I have seen this post so I at least know I wasn't imagining things. This is what I saw last night (I belive there was one call to Liveline this afternoon about it but no one else rang in so they dropped the item)
I live in Clontarf, in apts on the Howth Rd. I was in bed about 11.30 and shortly after that a very low flying plane went over us... grand nothing too strange, but then it happened continually every five minutes or so for nearly 45 mins... clearly it was circling, but why? And it was VERY low, I noticed other people in our apt block turning thier lights on and looking out to see what was happening... did the landing gear not come out or something? I've lived on the Northside all my life and have never seen anything like this before, it is strange not to have been reported whatever it was.... and I for one would like to know what airline it was!!

highdef

Hmmm, thats interesting. It was about 00:30 when the plane went over last night. And was seriously scary. I heard about the call to Liveline alright. Is there anywhere I could go to to find out more about this as a I think I'm entitled to know about why a plane at full throttle flew over my apt late at night and only a few hundred feet above my head. The Aviation Authority or something?
And I was told that the guy who rang into Liveline was parking his car in Northwood (not sure what block) and when he saw the plane approach and heard the huge roar, he simply covered his eyes as he thought he was a gonner. I really would like to find out more about this.

therecklessone

highdef wrote:

Is there anywhere I could go to to find out more about this as a I think I'm entitled to know about why a plane at full throttle flew over my apt late at night and only a few hundred feet above my head. The Aviation Authority or something?

You could try the IAA but they are unlikely to divulge details (nor are they required to do so). If the "incident" is as described on here then I'd be fairly certain there is already an investigation into the circumstances.

If you wish, you can call the DAA @ 1 800 200 034 to make a noise complaint, they may be more forthcoming with details. Have as much info as possible to hand when you call.

highdef

Thanks for that therecklessone - I may give them a call over the weekend or on Monday

projectmayhem

therecklessone wrote:

I *think* 10/28 is closed this week for rubber removal so it sounds like the aircraft in question was on approach to runway 34.

There is no ILS to runway 34, only a VOR approach which is non-precision. Its not unusual to have aircraft appearing "off course" on a non-precision approach.

No idea why the aircraft appeared as low as it did, perhaps on a visual approach?

i would imagine the pilot was on a visual approach and got a bit off course as you say. probably didn't know the area and misjudged where he was.

anyone know what kind of plane it was?

swanie

yea i saw it. my gaff is in whitehall, back door facing north. I was in the kitchen last thur night, about 20 past 12, when i heard the roar. i had the back door open and was quick to go out to see the aircraft flying over the omni i'd say.
Ususally aircraft approching runway 16/34 come in over beaumount apartments and on to the airport. This aircraft was seriously off course, it wasnt even runnin parallel to the normal approach, it seemed to come from beaumount area and went on towards ballymun, it was also very low and remained low.
by the time it powered up to go around it must have been very low.
it had no landing gear down and i could clearly tell it was an md-80 (or somthing like that - definitely a T-tail).
i work at the airport and am used to watching aircraft landing, this was a close call by my thinking, very low, very off course and very slow to react!

highdef

Hmmm, interesting alright. A lot of people seem to have seen this. And seeing as I am literally the last apt that this plane would have have flown over (I am very close to the airport) and am also on the 4th floor, do you think the media would possibly be interested in this? I am knew to the area and thought it might be something that happens from time to time but from what I can gather, this is looking like it was very close to have been quite a serious disaster - I for one feared for my life at the time.

Steyr

Hey guys have a look here this is where all the pilots hang out:


http://www.pprune.org/forums/

dloob

There was a short article about this in one of the papers at the weekend the Aviation Authority and the Air Accident Investigation Unit are to look into it.

Chuchu

Really? What paper? Did it throw any light on to what happeded or name the airline/plane?
I've heard NOTHING about this other than what's posted here, it was quite a strange experience, I'm sure even stranger if you were on board...

highdef

Yeah, do you know what paper it was in??? I'd be interested to know.....VERY interested

dloob

I pretty sure it was The Star on Saturday. It only mentioned that it happened at 12:30 and the plane was to land on the cross runway, no details on the type of aircraft or the airline. A local councillor also had a quote about how low it was.

Jakey

Something similar happened near cork airport in June 2006
http://www.aaiu.ie/AAIUviewitem.asp?id=8770&lang=ENG&loc=1280

highlydebased

May not have been full throttle, an aircraft would never use full throttle on approach unless riddled by windshear, or initiating a go around

Steyr

Here is an Unconfirmed report from a guy off flying in ireland he says and i quote "Unconfirmed report. Due to rubber removal on Rwy 10/28 Runway 34 was the active. While 16/34 was active, allegedly an Aviajet MD-80 mistakenly made an approach for the new N2 road running about 1-2 mile parallel to Rwy 16/34, thinking it was the runway. Go around made in plenty of time."


See here:http://www.flyinginireland.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2681

andy_g

hey all i work in dublin airport on the ramp the flt inquestion sounds like the excel airways flight that comes in from larnaca. it was on approach for rwny 28 and went around due to maintanence one still being on the rwny at taxiway echo 3.

RoundyMooney

Thanks for that info, Andy.

That seems to fit in with events.

therecklessone

RoundyMooney wrote:

Thanks for that info, Andy.

That seems to fit in with events.

Two different incidents by the sound of things.

Steyr

andy_g wrote:

hey all i work in dublin airport on the ramp

You lucky bas$$rd.:D

Gablin

Styer, keep your eyes on the indo, the jobs are in there from time to time......

Incidently, if you hear of anything at EICM............

Jakey

The report to this incident is now out
http://www.aaiu.ie/upload/general/9702-0.pdf

highdef

Got that in my email today, thanks :-) Even if the building at Santry Cross was mistaken, it really was VERY late before the pilots noticed it was a building and not a runway!!! I am no more than a couple of hundred meters from that building and the the course of the plane appeared to have only been corrected shortly before Santry Cross. Still, good to see that it is still being investigated

highlydebased

Just goes to show the "small" things the AAIU will investigate

Surely there is legislation that vets the type of lighting allowed near airports on buildings and especially under approach paths?

sdanseo

Neon-Circles wrote:

Just goes to show the "small" things the AAIU will investigate

Surely there is legislation that vets the type of lighting allowed near airports on buildings and especially under approach paths?

Yup.

www.irishstatutebook.ie (S.I. 334/2000) wrote:

Aeronautical lights.


19. (1) A person shall not establish, maintain or alter an aeronautical light except with the permission of the Authority and in accordance with any conditions which may be prescribed or subject to which the permission is granted.


(2) In the case of an aeronautical light, which is or may be visible from any waters within an area of a general lighthouse authority, the Authority shall not give its permission or prescribe or impose conditions in relation to the permission for the purposes of this Article save after consultation with that authority.


(3) A person shall not wilfully or negligently damage or interfere with any aeronautical light associated with the operation of an aerodrome for the purposes of the safety of aircraft using that aerodrome or otherwise established and maintained by or with the permission of the Authority.


Dangerous lights.


20. (1) A person shall not exhibit any light which:


(a) by reason of its glare is liable to endanger aircraft taking off from or landing at an aerodrome; or


(b) by reason of its liability to be mistaken for an aeronautical light is liable to endanger aircraft.


(2) If any light which appears to the Authority to be such a light as aforesaid is exhibited, the Authority may cause a notice to be served upon the person who is the occupier of the place where the light is exhibited or has charge of the light, directing that person, to take such steps as may be specified in the notice for extinguishing or effectively screening the light and for preventing the exhibition thereafter of any similar light.

Easy to understand though how the four lights were probably an attempt to comply with the same legislation.

pclancy

I dont get how they thought those 4 lights were a PAPI system which would be to the side of a runway, what road exactly did they think could have been a runway? Weird situation...

therecklessone

Fellas, this is an interim report based on the AAIU conducting a number of test approaches to rwy34, not necessarily based on comments from the flight crew.

Subsequently, the AAIU conducted a series of approaches on RWY 34 to identify the reason for the deviation of G-FLTM from the correct approach course. It was found that lighting from a 16-storey building situated at Santry Cross (Photo No. 1) appeared, at night, to resemble the red and white lights of a runway approach light system (Photo No. 2). The building is equipped with four fixed red obstacle lights situated on the roof.

Its a conclusion based on observation by the AAIU inspector. We don't know what the crew thought...yet.