AA plane goes down [overshoots runway on Landing]

[thewinchester]

I've only just seen the news footage of this crash, and my stars its a shocker.

From the aerial footage and the Google Maps aerial view, there's literally no space at the end of this runway (RWY12/30) for emergencies - you either stop and end around or you're stuffed.

Right at the end of the runway, the earth drops down around 10-15m for a roadway (Norman Manley Highway), before rising up approx. 1-2m before becoming a beach surface with concrete blocks there for approach lighting.

You would have thought they'd at least build a flyover or runway extension over the road to extend the deck and create an area with a special stop surface (the name of the material escapes me at the moment) that'll enable aircraft to be towed out and not come to such a dramatic and costly demise as in this event.

They could go even further, and go down the road of FNC and build an elevated runway deck they could extend into the sea.

 

[straitman]

You would have thought they'd at least build a flyover or runway extension over the road to extend the deck and create an area with a special stop surface (the name of the material escapes me at the moment) that'll enable aircraft to be towed out and not come to such a dramatic and costly demise as in this event.

They could go even further, and go down the road of FNC and build an elevated runway deck they could extend into the sea.

It sounds like you are talking about a runway extension which is not needed if the aircraft are flown to the flight manual figures for power and weight.

 

[oz_mark]

It sounds like you are talking about a runway extension which is not needed if the aircraft are flown to the flight manual figures for power and weight.

On the other hand, runway overruns are not as rare an event as they perhaps should be.

 

[straitman]

On the other hand, runway overruns are not as rare an event as they perhaps should be.

Another true statement :!:

 

[samh004]

Many airports have runways that end in a scary fashion. Have you been to ZQN? One end is a cliff, the other is a road and then a lake!

 

[straitman]

Many airports have runways that end in a scary fashion. Have you been to ZQN? One end is a cliff, the other is a road and then a lake!

Or many have houses or Industrial buildings at one end and water at the other. ie SYD

 

[thewinchester]

It sounds like you are talking about a runway extension which is not needed if the aircraft are flown to the flight manual figures for power and weight.

On the other hand, runway overruns are not as rare an event as they perhaps should be.

Agreed, it's a engineer for the worst, hope for the best school of thinking.

I'd rather have longer runway and an EMAS arrestor in place so in the event something does go wrong you've got every chance of preventing it or removing more opportunities for things to go south.

Many airports have runways that end in a scary fashion. Have you been to ZQN? One end is a cliff, the other is a road and then a lake!

You wern't kidding about ZQN, just found this photograph of the runway showing those approach risks.

 

[NM]

They could go even further, and go down the road of FNC and build an elevated runway deck they could extend into the sea.

Which is all good and fine until something causes an aircraft to slide off the side of the runway, which also happens occasionally.

 

[codash1099]

Which is all good and fine until something causes an aircraft to slide off the side of the runway, which also happens occasionally.

I would think that Murphy's Law would definitely apply. Just when you have lengthened a runway, and incident will occur that will prove it should have been longer.

 

[serfty]

Which is all good and fine until something causes an aircraft to slide off the side of the runway, which also happens occasionally.

I would think that Murphy's Law would definitely apply. Just when you have lengthened a runway, and incident will occur that will prove it should have been longer.

... or wider ...

 

[thewinchester]

Up close and personal shots of the airframe in this incident posted online earlier:
American Airlines Kingston Crash Photos - N977AN 737-823 | NYCAviation.com | Planespotting and Aviation Photography, Breaking Airline News, Aviation Discussion

Photos: American Airlines 737 Kingston Crash Wreckage
The remains of the American Airlines 737-800 (reg N977AN) that ran off the end of the runway at Kingston, Jamaica two days were moved to a hangar this past weekend. Thankfully, someone with a camera was around to document the damage, and even better, someone posted them on the NYCAviation Forums this afternoon.
Here are a few of the photos, with a link to more:

Jamaican investigators revealed today that the plane had already used up nearly half of the runway’s 8,900 feet of stopping distance before touching down with a 17mph tailwind during a rain storm on Dec. 22nd. Furthermore, it bounced upon wheels down, wasting several hundred more feet of precious braking real estate, and the plane was still rolling at 72mph when it ran off the end of the runway.

One word, ouch.

 

[docjames]

Jamaican investigators revealed today that the plane had already used up nearly half of the runway’s 8,900 feet of stopping distance before touching down with a 17mph tailwind during a rain storm on Dec. 22nd. Furthermore, it bounced upon wheels down, wasting several hundred more feet of precious braking real estate, and the plane was still rolling at 72mph when it ran off the end of the runway.

Sounding like a go-around would have been the sensible outcome, but who knows, there may have been a reason (maybe the wind changed direction on touchdown?)

Will be interesting once the full report comes out.

 

[samh004]

Looks like the front section broke in a very lucky spot.

 

[tuapekastar]

Sounding like a go-around would have been the sensible outcome, but who knows, there may have been a reason (maybe the wind changed direction on touchdown?)

Will be interesting once the full report comes out.

Or in 10 years or so, when Air Crash Investigations devotes an episode to it!

 

[harvyk]

Or in 10 years or so, when Air Crash Investigations devotes an episode to it!

Surly we won't have to wait 10 years for ACI. Yes it can take couple of years to get the final report out, but surely ACI would pick it up soon after that.

 

[harvyk]

Just as a side note, I note that the most recent crash ACI has done was Adam Air Flight 574, which crashed on the 1st Jan 2007. So for that one it took them less than 3 years from crash to episode.

 

[tuapekastar]

Just as a side note, I note that the most recent crash ACI has done was Adam Air Flight 574, which crashed on the 1st Jan 2007. So for that one it took them less than 3 years from crash to episode.

I guess they had a lot of history to choose from when they started making the program, so am used to watching eps re incidents 10, 15, 20 years ago.

If the program continues, I'm sure you're right, we'll see a much shorter time between incident and program as a rule.

Much as I enjoy watching the program, I hope there are not many upcoming fatals for them to cover (well, I hope for none, but I don't think that's likely)!