Friday, July 6, 2007

A video offering day

So, pursuant to the other earlier posting, I'm cruising around YouTube and stumble upon the following.

To place this video into context, I read the NTSB crash report. It states:

This Danish pilot flying to Atlantic City for some weekend gambling with a couple buddies appears to have mistook Atlantic City's Baden Airport (AIC) for the larger Atlantic City Airport (ACY). Atlantic City takes jets, Baden does not.

The pilot makes a flyby to Baden and looks at the field (at between 100 and 300 feet.(?)) He goes around and then decides to land at this very small airport, with the wind to his tail (planes land INTO the wind).

Meanwhile, the 'control tower' at Baden (a construction trailer) is staffed by two controllers who have not spoken with the pilot (because he's a jet - and they only take prop planes - not that the pilot tried). They hear the jet fly over the runway a couple of times and are concerned and frankly amazed. One of these controllers has a camcorder with him and records the ensuing events.

It appears these controllers are not surprised by a small jet attempting to land at their tiny airport (as it must have been a frequent occurrence with mistaken identities or with aggressive pilots trying to fly in, in the past.

They walk outside and begin filming the landing of the jet. They capture the approach of the jet as it crosses the threshold of the runway and then proceeds to fly down it about 1/2 way before touching down (It should have touched down in the first 25% of the runway.) As the jet passes them, they continue to film and comment between themselves about how nutty a pilot this guy must be. They're, at first, amazed that the jet has been able to come to a stop before the end of the grass at the end of the runway (or the bay just after that.) They then realize the plane has disappeared, and therefore, must be in the grass.

They jump in their trusty auto, contact 911, and race down towards where the plane should be. Upon getting toward the end of the runway, they find the plane now in the bay!!

This isn't even the amazing part.

Watch the video with the following understanding;

1. The pilot and passengers exit the plane with the help of local fisherman in small row boats.

2. EVERYONE is out of the plane.

3. Watch how close a call it is for the evacuees.

4. Watch what happens when a plane starts thinking for itself.

Personally, I drooled on my shirt when I watched this because I couldn't retrieve my lower jaw from hanging wide open.

Now for your amazement;

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