American Airlines jet slides off Palm Springs runway

ASSOCIATED PRESS

February 16, 2000

PALM SPRINGS -- An American Airlines MD-80 slid off a runway as it landed during a storm Tuesday, but there were no injuries and the aircraft was able to taxi to the gate, officials said.

A few hours later, a flight from Ontario, Calif., to St. Louis made an emergency landing in Albuquerque, N.M., because the crew thought it had an electrical problem.

There were no passengers on the jet that skidded off the runway in Palm Springs following a trip from Los Angeles. It was flown to the desert airport to replace another aircraft that had been pulled from service because of mechanical problems, American spokesman Chris Chiames.

"There was some weather in the area -- whether it hit a slick spot, that's to be determined," he said. Both landing gear slid off the east side of the runway and into a safety area covered with rock about 7:10 a.m. A runway light, two taxiway lights and a guidance sign were damaged, said city spokeswoman Lee Husfeldt.

"This gravel area is designed to accommodate aircraft, allowing it to slow down, recover and stop," she said. "It worked perfectly."

The runway was closed for about 40 minutes while crews picked up pieces of the signs and lights, delaying two flights, she said. The plane, and two crew members aboard, taxied to the terminal area.

The aircraft was being examined for damage, and passengers who were waiting for the replacement plane were booked on another flight to Chicago, Chiames said.

The mechanical problems of the original aircraft were not related to the horizontal stabilizer investigation that started after the Jan. 31 crash of an Alaska Airlines MD-83 off the coast of Southern California, he said. All 88 people aboard were killed. Meanwhile, a TWA MD-80 made an unscheduled landing in Albuquerque after pilots reported electrical problems during a flight from Ontario, Calif., to St. Louis.

"It was something that had to do with a generator, but as it turned out, it wasn't a problem," said Maggie Santiago, spokeswoman for Albuquerque's international airport. Flight 596 landed without problem at 9:19 a.m. and taxied to a gate, where the 90 passengers and crew got off the twin-engine airplane, she said.

The airplane was checked and was found "perfectly safe and flyable," Santiago said. The passengers and crew reboarded, and the airplane took off at 10:22 a.m. to continue its flight, she said.

Link:

http://www.uniontrib.com/news/state/20000216-991235-roughlanding.html

-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), February 17, 2000

Answers

"the crew thought it had an electrical problem...

...whether it hit a slick spot, that's to be determined"

Which is it, electrical problem or slick spot?

Must have been a runway squirrel, they love airports where there are no trees.

Add this one to the Y2K related list. How many is that now so far this year... 50?... 60?... 70?

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), February 17, 2000.

Which is it, electrical problem or slick spot?

Both.

An American Airlines plane slid off the runway while landing during a storm. I don't think a slick runway can qualify as Y2K.

A TWA plane reported the electrical problems. They evidently found the problem to not be too serious as they were able to depart about an hour later.

-- Steve (sron123@aol.com), February 17, 2000.

Whoa!!! Slow down, Hawk. Two different planes:

One skidding off runway during storm

One making emergency landing because of electrical problems.

The skidding plane was an MD-80 with no passengers being brought in to replace a plane taken out of service for mechanical problems. I don't think this will qualify for your -what was it?- nine more incidents by March 1.

The emergency landing, however, does qualify for your listing, although no problem was found, and the plane went on it's way:

"a TWA MD-80 made an unscheduled landing in Albuquerque after pilots reported electrical problems during a flight from Ontario, Calif., to St. Louis.

"It was something that had to do with a generator, but as it turned out, it wasn't a problem," said Maggie Santiago, spokeswoman for Albuquerque's international airport. Flight 596 landed without problem at 9:19 a.m. and taxied to a gate, where the 90 passengers and crew got off the twin-engine airplane, she said.

The airplane was checked and was found "perfectly safe and flyable," Santiago said. The passengers and crew reboarded, and the airplane took off at 10:22 a.m. to continue its flight, she said."

-- Duke1983 (Duke1983@aol.com), February 17, 2000.

Looks like both problems are Y2K related. We're up to the hundreds now, Hawk!

-- (jeffDD@ticon.net), February 17, 2000.

Don't hang MY PREDICTIONS around Hawk's neck. FWIW, on February 15, I forecast 5 more MD-80 incidents by the end of the month ..... Here's two "incidnets" already two days later .... obviously there's nothgin CONCLUSIVELY Y2K about them, RIGHT? But I'm adding them to a peripheral tally -- since its early in the game, and since my casual amateur the forecast didn't anticipate the human factor in MD-80 air safety-- which is already "taking its toll" on the tally. That is, the pilots seem to be EXTRMELY CAUTIOUS in their MD-80s, (as, I guess they should be) and that element factors into this somewhere.

DONCHA LOVE THIS LINE: "The gravel area is designed to accomodate aircraft .... It worked perfectly!" COMPLIANT GRAVEL.

>"<

-- Squirrel Hunter (nuts@upina.cellrelay.tower), February 17, 2000.

Looks like both problems are Y2K related. We're up to the hundreds now, Hawk!

Please explain how a slick runway, and plane that was able to continue its flight an hour later ar Y2K related.

-- Steve (sron123@aol.com), February 17, 2000.

Sorry, Squirrell Hunter, that's what I get for relying on my failing memory.

: )

I don't think I would add the plane sliding off the runway, myself, but if you need it to get to 5 - GO For It!

And, as I recall, you didn't specifically say the problems would be y2k related, but that we can definitely notice an anamolous increase in problems. Coincidence????

-- Duke1983 (Duke1983@aol.com), February 17, 2000.

Actually, for the record, Squirell Hunter, I like the fact that you made this prediction. It should get us all thinking. Here's the link for those who haven't seen the thread:

FORECASTS FROM AVIATION EXPERTS Solicited Here

And here is a snip:

"I PREDICT at least five emergency landings or aborted take-offs of MD-80s, before March 1. That is, unless the entire class is grounded by the FAA first."

So the emergency landing, regardless of the cause, qualifies. But the plane sliding off the runway does not. (it wasn't an emergency landing, it was a scheduled landing with problems)

Plenty of time, though, Squirell. Especially since we're running at one every day to other day, it seems.

-- Duke1983 (Duke1983@aol.com), February 17, 2000.

Steve, concerning your statement about y2k, the cause of the incident is under investigation:

"There was some weather in the area -- whether it hit a slick spot, that's to be determined,"

-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), February 17, 2000.

Did Palm Springs ever get its radar working properly? I seem to recall just a whole mess o' FAA types flocking out there after Rollover to get them back up to speed. Did they ever announce a successful fix?

-- DeeEmBee (macbeth1@pacbell.net), February 17, 2000.

Yeah ....

If we hit five by Sunday, I'll up the ante to 12 or 19 total before March 1.

>"<

-- Squirrel Hunter (nuts@upina.cellrelaytower), February 17, 2000.

I also made a prediction on Squirrel Hunter's thread:
There will be MD-80 incidents reported in the press.
The disappointed doomers will try to make each one fit the Y2k mold.
None of them will.


So far looks like I'm right on track. Including the 2nd one. (no, I'm not talking about you, Squirrel Hunter). I might say something like jeffDD did in jest, but I believe he's serious. And Hawk, well, Hawk is Hawk.



-- Mikey2k (mikey2k@he.wont.eat.it), February 17, 2000.