Southwest Flight Out Of Midway Lands At Wrong Airport

By Lisa White in News on Jan 13, 2014 9:35PM

A surprise destination left a Southwest Airlines pilot red in the face Sunday night after arriving at the wrong airport. Flight 4013 leaving Midway International Airport in route to Branson Airport instead landed seven miles northeast at Taney County Airport, which has a runway about half the size of Branson’s. CNN reports that as a result of the shorter runway, the pilot had to utilize a lot of heavy braking to keep the plane from overshooting the end of the runway and falling down an embankment and onto U.S. Highway 65. The aircraft stopped just 300 feet from the end of the runway.

Thankfully all 124 passengers and five crew members were safe. CNN also reports that the pilot declined to talk about what happened as they left the plane. Airline spokesman Brad Hawkins did not have information on why the plane went to the wrong airport. A Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said the agency is investigating the incident. Passengers were delayed two hours while the airline found steps for passengers to disembark the aircraft and brought in transportation to the correct airport. While waiting, CNN reports, passengers ate peanuts provided by flight attendants and that Southwest offered the passengers a $200 travel voucher. Sorry we could have seriously injured or killed you if it wasn’t for 300 feet, please accept this $200 coupon for our mistake. It’s the thought that counts?

CNN also spoke to Mary Schiavo, the former inspector general of the U.S. Department of Transportation, who stated that planes landing on the wrong runway isn’t unusual. “A visual landing on side-by-side airports, not far apart, and that’s how it happens,” she said. “It happens many times.”

We’re glad everyone is okay and we can understand how a pilot could confuse two neighboring runways but we’re surprised at no point did anyone communicate to him that maybe he was wrong? Was there no co-pilot? Air traffic control didn’t notice at all? Besides being all around embarrassed, I’m sure the pilot is feeling like no one has his back just a little bit today. A hiccup like this means someone clearly needs a vacation from work. Talk about a case of job related stress.