LAN 1 vs AKL airport runway lights 0

[markis10]

Bit of a worry:

A plane has smashed runway lights during a take-off described as "extremely abnormal" at Auckland International Airport.
An investigation has been launched into the Chilean airline LAN flight last Saturday, which later landed in Sydney on damaged tyres.
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission confirmed the incident this week, in which the aircraft strayed from the middle of the runway during take-off and smashed several lights which stand 30cm high and line the tarmac.

Runway lights wrecked - National - NZ Herald News

 

[casanovawa]

Wonder how much the people on board knew???

At least it probably wasn't a slalom ride like that SQ landing at Munich was it???

 

[markis10]

Thump thump thump
Captain "Clavado esta noche, puedes oír las luces centrales debajo de la rueda!"
or "Nailed it tonight, can you hear those centreline lights under the wheel!"
CoPilot "Ellos no son normalmente tan fuerte, y que han ampliado la pista de aterrizaje, que se ve más amplia de mi punto de vista?"
or "They are not normally that loud, and have they widened the runway, sure looks wider from my viewpoint?"

 

[Hvr]

Wonder how much the people on board knew???

At least it probably wasn't a slalom ride like that SQ landing at Munich was it???

I guess if a bulb went off in their head they would've realised something was wrong.

 

[Skyring]

Their onboard catering now includes light snacks.

 

[docjames]

Wow, something's gone quite wrong.

Bit surprised coming from LAN.

 

[jukebox333]

"It appears that a LAN Chile A340 on take-off from Auckland at about 6.20am on Saturday morning was incorrectly lined up on one edge of the runway, rather than the centre line."

The incident report should be illuminating...

 

[Mal]

Would have expected a return to akl to check for damage... but I'm not an expert of course.

Report will be interesting indeed.

 

[markis10]

Would have expected a return to akl to check for damage... but I'm not an expert of course.

Report will be interesting indeed.

Unless there is a caution in the coughpit, it would be normal to proceed to the destination where the risk is less given the differences in weight.

 

[Skyring]

Unless there is a caution in the coughpit, it would be normal to proceed to the destination where the risk is less given the differences in weight.

That was my thought, too. If you are up and there's no damage indicated, then might as well fly the flight plan. I assume that if tyres had blown, then this would be indicated.

Of course, damage could occur from debris being thrown up, and the Concorde disaster is something to consider, but if nothing shows up as damaged, or becomes apparent as the flight progresses - such as a leaking fuel tank or a hull breach losing pressure as the plane climbs - then where's the point in landing? As markis10 points out, it's going to be safer at the other end with less fuel and weight to worry about.

And the pilots will have had time to sober up.

 

[Awesom Andy]

If it's just the flat tyres, you'll want to fly on anyway. The less weight at landing, the better.