This is the type of quality contract carrier we have feeding the USairways system! We are very fortunate that we were not reporting a misap this evening in Charlotte during that monster thunderstorm; when Mesa (Air shuttle) landed in the middle of driving rain, windshear and microburst alerts. The tower tried to convince them to go around with repeated windshear alerts, but no way, they continued and landed on runway 05. After landing the tower controller could not see them and asked them where they were and they responded that they could not even see the taxiway sing since the rain was so heavy. They also reported sliding after landing and braking action as poor. Sure they landed but the ramp remained closed for another 50 minutes. I do not understand the need to subject our passengers to this type of risk. I wish someone could get in this crews head and ask WHAT THE XXXX were you thinking?
Mesa lands in middle of T-Storm in CLT
- Thread starter 1941j3
- Start date
Well I wasn't in the cockpit and I certainly don't make a habit of trying to defend Mesa, but it's easy to second guess a crew's actions while sitting on the ground. If you weren't there and know the situation, you shouldn't accuse them of an unsafe operation.
Well, when every other plane chose not to land, and the tower tried to convince them to go-around, I think it is easy to accuse them of an unsafe practice.
But you are right. Who are we to judge?
SegmentKing
Veteran
I've seen situations where, even as a passenger, the weather looked aweful, but that's all it was -- looks.
I was flying the other day and we did a go-around, I could see the cell as we did a 180 to shoot another approach -- yet I saw a DL 767 zoom past us and continue the approach. Pilots said it may be rough and we shot the approach again -- this time I could hear the engines spooling up a bit more than usual -- and we had a few bumps but it quickly passed and entered VFR weather and landed smoothly.
Cells can be as small as an apartment building to the size of cities.... we weren't there, so who are we to judge? Maybe the crew COULDN'T go around without putting themselves into a stronger cell...
I was flying the other day and we did a go-around, I could see the cell as we did a 180 to shoot another approach -- yet I saw a DL 767 zoom past us and continue the approach. Pilots said it may be rough and we shot the approach again -- this time I could hear the engines spooling up a bit more than usual -- and we had a few bumps but it quickly passed and entered VFR weather and landed smoothly.
Cells can be as small as an apartment building to the size of cities.... we weren't there, so who are we to judge? Maybe the crew COULDN'T go around without putting themselves into a stronger cell...
Not that I was there, but I would never want to know I was at a point that I couldn't go around... Thats kinda of scary.. Remember what happened to the last Mesa airplane when the Captain told the FO... 'Go Around is not a option'...
I think when a airline pays its crew only block times...... well I think they take more chances then others would... If Mesa had to go around and hold for 1 hr they would have been working for free. During the winter I witnessed a few Mesa Jets not De-icing while everyone else was, mainly because the Pad would have taken a hour or so...
Block Pay = More risk takers
Walmartgreeter
Veteran
If it true that the tower advised them to go around, they should have their tickets pulled for just being stupid.
Greeter.
Greeter.
BuffaloJoe
Veteran
If the Tower tells the plane to go around and the plane lands, isn't that disobeying a command? Then the Pilots should be disciplined. If they gave them an an OK to land, but suggested a go around, then the Pilots and Tower Operator should be reviewed, not at disciplinary action, just as an educational review.
If there were windshear alerts, if there were microbursts, if the tower advised a go around due to poor weather conditions, if other planes were all diverting/holding *AND* the captain continued to land, then it just takes a call to the local Flight Standards District Office in Charlotte to report this and the Pilots will surely be questioned.
hp_fa
Veteran
- Feb 19, 2004
- 3,290
- 178
If the tower cleared them to land then they were cleared to land. Was it smart? No.
I'm not sure what the requirements are for the tower folks to close the airport for arrivals, but had the airport closed for arrivals then the flight would never have been cleared to land.
Does anyone know what the reported conditions were at the time of landing (TSTMS and wind shear)?
- Thread Starter
- #12
Well the airport was not closed to arrivals since just ahead of them was PSA CRJ who tried the approach and waved off about 3 miles out. They apparently had their hands full and the tower wished them good luck when he handed them off to departure as they diverted to Columbia. I was sitting on the ground waiting to takeoff on 18R. I do not think they violated any rules, but judgement comes into question here...Just to clarify..The tower controller never actually said go around. He continually issued windshear alerts on final for runway 05 with increasing intensity in his voice.
I doubt the tower was trying to convince them to go around. When there is windshear in the area, when an aircraft gets close, the tower continously tells the crew conditions to help them. Landing with windshear in the area happens all the time. If we couldn't land with windshear being reported in the area, we could not fly in the winter months when turbulence and windshear is EVERYWHERE...
Well I was there. Behind mesa on rwy5.....the radar was scary red all the way down...we broke it off....diverted to gsp....couldn't believe they landed....we got beat up pretty bad and we were ten out.....Not a wise choice for them.
