37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Attributes | |
ACN | 1331747 |
Time | |
Date | 201602 |
Local Time Of Day | 1801-2400 |
Place | |
Locale Reference | ZZZ.Airport |
State Reference | US |
Environment | |
Flight Conditions | IMC |
Light | Night |
Aircraft 1 | |
Make Model Name | Medium Transport Low Wing 2 Turbojet Eng |
Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
Flight Phase | Final Approach Initial Approach |
Flight Plan | IFR |
Person 1 | |
Function | Captain Pilot Not Flying |
Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) |
Person 2 | |
Function | Pilot Flying First Officer |
Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) |
Events | |
Anomaly | Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence |
Narrative:
Flight left with fuel uploaded at the correct amount for enroute; flight to alternate; reserve; and contingency. Upon arrival at initial SID fix; ATC informed air traffic that airport was closed due to snow plowing. Weather was reporting heavy snow; 1/4 visibility; 4000 RVR. We were instructed to hold on the approach as published; stacked with other arrival traffic. We communicated with dispatch hold information and fuel remaining. Dispatcher concurred with our bingo fuel numbers and we made preparations for flying to our alternate.airport reopened before that fuel number was reached. We were vectored out of the hold but were to follow slower prop driven traffic and vectors were extended. Weather at airport dropped to 1600 RVR and my first officer and I set up for a CAT 2 approach. Airport area was experiencing bands of snow fall. Before landing at 500 ft we were given a tower instructed go around due to the prop aircraft ahead of us running off the side of the runway and closed the airport again. We gave intentions to go to alternate but due to lengthy vectoring beforehand we would burn into our reserve plus land with about 1200 lbs of fuel. I declared 'min fuel status'. Other airports had similar weather and did not look to be good landing candidates as neither airport had CAT 2 minimums. Approach instructed us 30 miles out that runway was now available for landing and RVR was now back up to 5000. I opted for return to airport landing with 2000 lbs of fuel. We were vectored to approach and maintained a monitored approach configuration since it was briefed and set up previously. Other airline landed ahead of us and was unable to clear the runway stating braking action poor. We were given a second tower instructed go around and asked our intentions as airport closed the airport a third time to plow the runway. Recall the adjacent runway was closed for aircraft removal.my options had narrowed as one airport was out of the question and a quick fuel burn calculation showed other airport arrivals at 300 lbs and 400 lbs total. Airport vectored us for approach and opened the runway for us alone. Landing was safely accomplished in snowing weather conditions; with 1000 lbs of fuel and no further incident. Runway braking was poor. I personally feel that every decision I made as a captain followed the best scenario for landing with maximum fuel status and safety as each landing attempt contained unforeseen weather and airport events which required re-evaluating current and projected aircraft status. I also think the calm and deliberate teamwork between my first officer and myself contributed to correctly re-evaluating affairs as they unfolded.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: After multiple ATC ordered go-arounds; no suitable alternate options; and a low fuel state; flight crew was cleared to land on a technically closed runway.
Narrative: Flight left with fuel uploaded at the correct amount for enroute; flight to alternate; reserve; and contingency. Upon arrival at initial SID fix; ATC informed air traffic that airport was closed due to snow plowing. Weather was reporting heavy snow; 1/4 Visibility; 4000 RVR. We were instructed to hold on the approach as published; stacked with other arrival traffic. We communicated with dispatch Hold information and Fuel remaining. Dispatcher concurred with our bingo fuel numbers and we made preparations for flying to our alternate.Airport reopened before that fuel number was reached. We were vectored out of the hold but were to follow slower prop driven traffic and vectors were extended. Weather at airport dropped to 1600 RVR and my First Officer and I set up for a CAT 2 approach. Airport area was experiencing bands of snow fall. Before landing at 500 ft we were given a tower instructed Go Around due to the prop aircraft ahead of us running off the side of the runway and closed the airport again. We gave intentions to go to alternate but due to lengthy vectoring beforehand we would burn into our reserve plus land with about 1200 lbs of fuel. I declared 'Min Fuel status'. Other airports had similar weather and did not look to be good landing candidates as neither airport had CAT 2 minimums. Approach instructed us 30 miles out that runway was now available for landing and RVR was now back up to 5000. I opted for return to airport landing with 2000 lbs of fuel. We were vectored to approach and maintained a monitored approach configuration since it was briefed and set up previously. Other airline landed ahead of us and was unable to clear the runway stating braking action poor. We were given a second tower instructed GO Around and asked our intentions as airport closed the airport a third time to plow the runway. Recall the adjacent runway was closed for Aircraft removal.My options had narrowed as one airport was out of the question and a quick fuel burn calculation showed other airport arrivals at 300 lbs and 400 lbs total. Airport vectored us for approach and opened the runway for us alone. Landing was safely accomplished in snowing weather conditions; with 1000 lbs of fuel and no further incident. Runway braking was poor. I personally feel that every decision I made as a Captain followed the best scenario for landing with maximum fuel status and safety as each landing attempt contained unforeseen weather and airport events which required re-evaluating current and projected aircraft status. I also think the calm and deliberate teamwork between my First Officer and myself contributed to correctly re-evaluating affairs as they unfolded.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.