Weather Event – Severe Turbulence
On a charter flight from MDSD to KHPN, we encountered Severe Turbulence. I was the pilot monitoring for this segment of the flight. Prior to Departure a SIGMET was issued along our route of flight over the North Atlantic tracks. Shortly after being handed off to NY HF Radio the aircraft entered into a high layer of IMC at 39,000ft. At which point the only weather avoiding tools available to the crew was the onboard radar. Approximately 100 NM south of fix KASAR, the crew observed heavy radar return of a cell about 10 miles in diameter overtop the route, and seemingly extended further and to the left (West) of the route. The pilot monitoring obtained a 10 Mile Right Offset for weather avoidance, “Cleared to offset ONE – ZERO Right, Romeo, be back on course by ONE NINER ZERO ZERO ZULU and advise back on course.” This was the downwind side of the weather and the passengers were advised of the expected rough air and instructed to fasten their seatbelts. While deviating, enroute to the offset, moderate turbulence was experienced. Once the 10 NM offset was achieved, there was a break in the IMC layer, and two growing “Tops” were observed penetrating above the layer directly off the nose. The crew compared the visual observations to the onboard radar and observed a quickly growing cell on the offset and between the offset and the route. The crew opted to turn back towards the planned route and attempt to avoid the rapidly growing cells to the left (West) of them while making it back to course. While intercepting the course, the aircraft penetrated the outer edge of the west-most cell and experienced severe turbulence and wind shear. The crew experienced both drastic increases and decreases in airspeed and altitude, including a potential high altitude stall scenario. The aircraft was recovered at 38,000ft as the turbulence subsided. The pilot flying recovered the aircraft and climbed back up to FL390. The pilot monitoring made a prompt report to NY Radio of the event: “New York, New York, [tail number] experienced severe turbulence at flight level three niner zero while leaving the cleared offset and turning back to course approximately three seven nautical miles NORTH of KASAR on L452. We have recovered the aircraft at flight level three eight zero and are in the climb to return to flight level three niner zero.” NY Radio confirmed the report and position and inquired about damage and injuries. No observed damage, and no injuries onboard. 10 minutes after the event, once the aircraft exited the weather into clear and mostly smooth air, the pilot monitoring left his station to check on the passengers and preliminarily clean the cabin. Once back in radar coverage, New York center confirmed no damage to the aircraft and no injuries onboard. The rest of the flight was uneventful and a safe and normal landing was made at White Plaines (KHPN).
KEY ERC TAKEAWAYS:
- Exceptional job by the crew handling a severe weather situation.
- Proper communications with ATC averted violations, while proactive actions to warn the cabin crew and passengers prevented injuries.
- With winter quickly approaching we can expect an increase in weather-related events.
Approach/Arrival Issue – Wrong Airport
I was the pilot in command (PIC) and the monitoring pilot for a flight from CYRL to KINL where we would clear customs and immigration, take on fuel, then continue on to KJVY. The second in command (SIC) was the pilot flying.
Instead of landing at KINL, we landed at CYAG, an uncontrolled airport 5.7 miles northeast of KINL.
Prior to our arrival into the airport area, we tuned in the ILS frequency on both navigation radios and set the final approach course and briefed the approach. We also programmed both FMC computers to display the ILS course and fixes.
On the descent into KINL air traffic control (ATC) pointed out the airport to us which was off to our right, to the west of our position. The SIC and I both spotted what we thought was the airport, told ATC we had it in sight. Since the weather was VFR we cancelled IFR and changed frequencies.
KINL is an uncontrolled airport. We reported on UNICOM that we were on right base and began configuring for the approach.
Initially, the SIC began navigating to the final approach fix for runway 31 at KINL. That seemed like it would take us significantly south of where we were, so I urged the SIC to turn towards the airport and land. I wished I let the SIC fly the course they wanted.
Upon turning final, I began getting information that should have clued me in we were making an approach to the wrong airport. Both our EHSIs showed red flags for the localizer and the glideslope. It wasn’t NOTAMed out of service before we left CYRL, but I justified us not receiving it as it went out of service while enroute, or we were having a navigation display issue. On the navigation display generated by the FMC, it showed the final approach course and runway 31 to the west of our position. Again, we had a runway pointed in the proper position in front of us so I thought the MAP displayed must be wrong. But it piqued my interest that something was off.
I looked at the map display on the Foreflight app on my iPad to see if there was another airport in the vicinity of KINL that we might be pointing at. My iPad had lost it position so it did not display an aircraft symbol on the map, but my scan of the area did not show any airports close to KINL. Again, I justified we had to be on final for the correct airport. My gut, though, was telling me something wasn’t right.
Runway 31 at KINL has a crossing runway perpendicular to it halfway down the runway. The runway we were lined up for appeared to have a crossing runway perpendicular to it over halfway down it. What I saw after landing is it has a clear area where a runway used to exist but is no longer there.
We were now on a short final and since I suspected there was a crossing runway where one should be confirmed to me, we were approaching the correct runway and airport.
There was one more piece of information that told me something was wrong. The airport chart for KINL buildings to the east of the runway. The airport we were approaching had a building to the west of the runway. Even knowing that, we continued the approach and landed.
Upon landing and taxiing to the ramp, our iPad’s found their position and showed that we had landed at CYAG. The reason I didn’t see it when I checked my iPad for airports in the area was CYAG is displayed on the map as a dark gray circle, not a magenta circle with a white line depicting the runway layout as KINL is displayed, or a magenta circle like private airports are depicted in the US. In my haste I did not see the label defining the gray circle as For Frances Muni (CYAG).
I had several pieces of information telling me the airport we were approaching was the wrong one, but I incorrectly justified that information as inaccurate and pushed ahead when we should have gone around. We were not fuel critical so there was nothing preventing us from climbing to a safe altitude and evaluating where we were, and which airport was the one we were supposed to land at.
I also kept my feeling something was not right from the SIC. If I had vocalized that the airport we approached didn’t seem correct, the SIC might’ve spoken up stating they too thought something was off. Why didn’t I? I’m not sure. The SIC is inexperienced in the airplane and this type of flying. She was manually flying the aircraft at that time, and I might’ve thought I would be overloading her with information she didn’t need at that time. Obviously, I should have said something which would have given her the opportunity to vocalize what she thought.
We parked on a corner of the ramp at CYAG, advised our operations, and began the process of obtaining a new release to fly from CYAG to KINL. That flight was uneventful.
I never thought of myself as an overconfident pilot that needed to slow down and evaluate what my gut was telling me, but obviously, I should have today.
KEY ERC TAKEAWAYS:
- Sole source event.
- Crew members received 8 hours of remedial training – emphasis on CRM, company procedures, EFB procedures, preflight planning, international operations’
Safety Issue – Trespasser
Incident at Griffiss International Airport, Rome, NY on August 21, 2024
[name], Pilot, [company name]
Aircraft [tail number]
At approximately 2:00 p.m., I loaded my two passengers in the aircraft (parked parallel and the left side of the aircraft was next to the Million Air FBO building) for a Part 135 return trip to Pittsburgh International Airport.
[Unusual for a larger airport such as Griffiss was that a lineman (whom I got the impression, was in training) pulled the chocks and then I believe, went back indoors instead of waiting to flag me out when I was ready to taxi.] [If a lineman were there, he could have perhaps intercepted the trespasser.]
Approximately five minutes later I started the aircraft to begin pre-departure procedures.
Shortly thereafter at approximately 2:05 p.m. I observed a young man with a backpack walking from the direction of a corporate jet which was parked closer to the taxiway, toward our aircraft and the FBO. I initially thought he was going to pass by our aircraft to go into the FBO. However, he kept coming toward the front of our right wing and shouting something. He began to move closer to the cabin and at that point I shut down the engine to prevent him from running into the moving propeller. He continued to speak/shout and said he needed a ride to Miami among other things. He presented as in an altered mental state. At one point, even after I had told him of the hazards of the propeller, he went up and grabbed the now still propeller. This entire time I instructed my passengers not to open any doors as we did not want the trespasser to gain access to the aircraft. Our doors remained closed during the entire period the trespasser was nearby.
I looked at the FBO window and saw one of the staff looking out and I waved for them to come outside.
Initially three or four of the linemen/airport staff came out to confront the trespasser. By this time, the trespasser had tried to sit on the front, inboard right wing, but he slipped off at least once as it was wet from rains earlier in the day. The airport staff tried to talk, then ordered him to leave but he was belligerent and would not move. The airport staff eventually used force, and the trespasser resisted, breaking the hold of several of them. This ended up taking all the participants in the altercation from the right side in front of the wing, around the front of the aircraft and the trespasser ended up sitting on the ground just beyond the left wingtip so I did not see the entire altercation or what ended it, as the passengers and I stayed in the aircraft.
The airport personnel were wondering how the trespasser had breached airport security and made it to the ramp. One of them guessed that he had scaled the fence.
I called my Flight Follower to apprise him of the situation. He had the Director of Operations call me and I briefly explained the situation to him.
More airport staff showed up and eventually two Rome, NY police cars.
I then called the FBO manager over and after he commented that with the moving propeller the situation could have been much worse I asked if they could check to be sure all the debris (the trespasser’s water bottle and ear buds, for instance) were removed from the area around the aircraft and if he could use a towbar and tow us away from the group and toward the taxiway. This he did and when we arrived nearer the taxiway, one of my passengers commented that before we were towed, I’d said we needed to check the aircraft. I thought there was no chance the trespasser could now gain access to the aircraft, so I exited the aircraft and inspected it for damage or anything the trespasser may have attached to the aircraft. I found no discernable damage or foreign objects attached to the aircraft.
I restarted the pre-departure procedures and called for my clearance. The controller told me he to stand by while he searched for my clearance and after an unusually long time, he came back on the radio and said he was still looking for it, but the FBO wanted me to return there so they could speak with me.
All the while I am trying to communicate with the passengers to minimize their stress in being part of this upsetting situation. Overall, they appeared to not be overly upset and one commented that my action likely prevented a much worse outcome for the trespasser and us.
Back at the FBO and the aircraft again secured, the manager(?) told me they would like me to wait for the Sheriff to arrive to take my statement. I gestured to the police cars on the ramp and resisted staying longer and he said they were the police (unable to take my statement), and the sheriff would be there soon. It ended up that a police officer came over and took my name, telephone number, date of birth, [company name]’s name and the N number, and said we were free to leave.
We then taxied away again from the group of people still dealing with the situation, I received my clearance and departed Griffiss for Pittsburgh at 2:18 p.m.
KEY ERC TAKEAWAYS:
- Sole source.
- No further action needed.
