Unbelievable Mistake During Takeoff at London Biggin Hill Airport

[@YTRGautreaux]

My instrument instructor taught me to always dial in the localizer of the takeoff runway, especially at night and low visibility conditions. That will immediately indicate if you are on runway centerline, and the correct runway, if there is parallel runway.

[@stevegolding5523]

Tricky in fog. I once lined up in dense fog, couldn't believe how short the runway looked ... but you should have seen how wide it was 😅

[@rickrodrigues2219]

There are take off minimums...did yah know?!

[@Ztbmrc1]

Just the other day I saw another video here on youtube with a similar incident of a passenger jet lining up on the edge line instead of the center line. That plane took of and completed its flight but sustained some minor damage. When you look at the image from above you see the yellow taxi line leads the plane to the center line of the runway.

[@richarddye9170]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/j5OofqxsmpWYbpIsi=fDB5gULpaMeTIo4p

[@jessstone7486]

Wait. Isn't the pre-flight checklist supposed to be done *before* the plane begins to taxi to the runway??!!! That, along with this lack of situational awareness, truly is unbelievable.

[@Trevor_Austin]

Obviously another expert, not. How many low visibility departures have you done? The best place to perform your before takeoff checklist is immediately prior to departure. Depending on traffic you do that holding short or when lined up. In LVO’s you’ll do these checks when stationary.

[@spiderman300600]

⁠@@Trevor_Austin hey the expert! He was talking about “pre-flight” checklist not “before takeoff” checklist! 😂

[@hamshackleton]

@@spiderman300600 Walk-round before boarding. Pre-flight before engine-start. Pre-take-off at the hold.

[@spiderman300600]

@@hamshackleton did I say something different? What the poster was trying say is that there was a mistake in the video! Did you notice the mistake?

[@hamshackleton]

@@spiderman300600 Yes, I saw the mistake of turning off the yellow line. I also commented on the incorrect info at the hold.

[@nommadd5758]

A shabby ending for a thirty year old plane.

[@giorgiobertolucci462]

and for a 36 years old pilot

[@tonewheel1773]

@@giorgiobertolucci462 😆

[@yuglesstube]

​@giorgiobertolucci462 my immediate thought exactly.

[@lbowsk]

@@giorgiobertolucci462 How did he manage to start flying a Gulfstream with only 500 hours? You couldn't fly a beat up old Aztec with 500 hours when I was coming up, unless your Dad owned it.

[@peternesbitt]

It happened to a Singapore Airlines 747-499 in 2000. Mayday covered it. Singapore Airlines Flight 006 was an international scheduled passenger flight from Singapore Changi Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Chiang Kai-shek International Airport (now known as Taoyuan International Airport) near Taipei, Taiwan. On 31 October 2000, at 11:18pm Taipei local time (2:18pm UTC), the Boeing 747-412 operating the flight attempted to take off from the wrong runway at Chiang Kai-shek International Airport during a typhoon. The aircraft crashed into construction equipment on the runway, killing 83 of the 179 people aboard. Ninety-eight occupants initially survived the accident, but two passengers died later from injuries in hospital.[1] It was the first fatal accident involving a Boeing 747-400.

[@PInk77W1]

If you’re gonna close a runway u should make it impossible to use. Park 2-3 pickups at the beginning on the center line

[@jeffritchie8701]

Thats why you always set you compass correctly and cross check compass on take off and landings should agree with runway numbers

[@seriouscat2231]

@@jeffritchie8701, these were two parallel runways as far as I can remember.

[@km6341]

Thus, considering all of the conditions and your descriptions, it WAS believable they could make such a mistake!

[@michaelbedinger4121]

Great video, thank you very much for sharing MPC.

[@FelippaRodrigues]

MPC, You Never Disappoint Us. Always Do What You Can. Do Your Best.... Have A Beautiful Weekend....

[@ArthurTanner-d7s]

Can you stop using your sock accounts to repeat the same question?

[@channelsixtysix066]

Misaligned take-offs will continue to happen, so long as funding isn't spent on upgrading operational infrastructure. Biggin Hill's lighting and signage was obviously inadequate, in addition the information given to pilots _did not match_ the actual airport layout. Local pilots may get away with that because of familiarity, but not international pilots. Excerpt from : _AAIB Bulletin: 12/2015 N103CD EW/C2014/10/01_ Human and environmental factors Five of the factors identified by the ATSB as being present in misaligned takeoffs were present in this accident 1. It was dark. 2. It was potentially a confusing taxiway environment given that the aerodrome chart did not reflect the actual layout of the taxiways. Pilots had previously reported having difficulty when vacating the runway near the Runway 03 threshold because of a lack of taxiway lighting. 3. There was an additional paved area (the ORP) near the runway. 4. There was no runway centreline lighting and the runway edge lights before the displaced threshold were recessed. 5. There was reduced visibility

[@BarkingLondon]

6. They wer f’ing idiots.

[@HoldTheLine1990]

There are those who have and there are those who will. In aviation anything is possible. Learn from this event.

[@rtbrtb_dutchy4183]

I’ve always found that a cheap excuse for “those who have”. It’s simply not acceptable. What would you say if someone drives drunk? “Oh, well, there are those who have and there are those who will?

[@DaveArksey]

​@@rtbrtb_dutchy4183 your example is not even remotely the same. I wouldn't be too quick to criticize as I can see how this situation could be very confusing.

[@rtbrtb_dutchy4183]

@@DaveArksey of course my example is not the same. I’m trying to show the ridiculousness of it all by saying this. I’m also not criticizing this crew. Even though the situation is not very confusing, we don’t know what was going on in the cockpit. There could be such a weak first officer, that the Captain was overwhelmed. Or maybe they were dealing with an issue and got distracted. No, my point was about the saying: “those who have and those who will”. I find that a ridiculous statement. And it’s an excuse for pilots who made a mistake and don’t want to own up to it. . It’s an “oh well, this could happen to anyone”. First time I heard this was a guy who almost landed gear up. He said the same thing: there are those who have and those who will. Uh, no. Most pilots will never forget to lower the gear. I haven’t in 32 years.

[@Cornstalker7273]

1. Centerline lights are a different color than runway edge lights. 2. They knew it was a dispalced threshold runway, but failed to realize that they never crossed the threshold of the runway, 3. They never verified the runway heading number painted on the threshold. 4. They mistook the white, solid painted runway edging line as the runway centerline 5. Failed to follow the yellow taxi line to the runways centerline... This is all so unacceptable.

[@TheAnxiousAardvark]

You should read the report. It has some answers to your points. #4 is still valid. #3 doesn't appear to be addressed. I may have missed it. #1 , #2 & #5 appear to be.

[@Trevor_Austin]

@@TheAnxiousAardvark No. 1 Is true unless you were expecting centreline lights. They would still be wrong but you could make sense of them. No. 2 Displaced threshold with or without starter extension? The tower might have been able to help, if they could see them. No. 3 How far away were the numbers in the fog? No. 4. Agreed. No. 5. The unseen, un-noticed event that may have precipitated the entire event.

[@TheAnxiousAardvark]

@@Trevor_Austin Thanks., They were expecting centreline lights. It appears, and I could be wrong, that the airport expected them to consult the local charts/paper maps. Since I like and use paper maps, sailing, I'm aware of how they get outdated, and suspect I'd use modern day software and expect it to be up-to-date. Should they have checked if there were any specific items that were different from what their software said? Perhaps. I suspect that's something they said to themselves over and over. "Why did I trust the software?" The report is really interesting, and the followup on the safety recommendation is more dry, but also interesting.

[@Trevor_Austin]

@@TheAnxiousAardvark What did you think of the differences between the actual airport, the diagram in the AIP and Jeppessen’s version? I believe that was part of the problem.

[@TheAnxiousAardvark]

@@Trevor_Austin Not being a pilot, and looking at it as a layman, I could easily believe the iPad (Jeppessen?) version is a different runway. The taxiways might be a tell. I'd agree that was part of the problem. The report appears to spread the "what caused this and how do we prevent it happening again" around. Edit: That could have been summed up as "I concur."

[@bobrodgersonsmostlymotorcy9265]

I was a passenger in an Air UK flight that did exactly the same thing at Aberdeen Airport in almost blizzard conditions some time in the early 1990's the nose gear snapped off when the plane went off onto the grass. we were fortunate that the aircraft was a high wing type and the wings didn't dig in and cause us to flip. Everyone was ok but we didn't get home early.

[@CyberSystemOverload]

Another case study for ground schools around the world. The Human Factor will forever remain the weakest link in the chain. Excellent video! I actually prefer this style with text instead of commentary. Hearing the engine and environment sounds play out is nice. Very good reconstruction video. Liked and subbed keep up the good work!

[@kevinmoffatt]

Definitely a case for pilot induction training for all airports they intend to use and invalidation of insurance cover for non compliance. Miracle no one was harmed.

[@rtbrtb_dutchy4183]

That’s just not realistic. Corporate aircraft fly all over the world to places that they’ve never been before. That’s part of the job. And 99.99% of pilots won’t make this mistake.

[@Aircraft1606.]

N103CD CVR Transcript 1:54 TOWER: 103CD‚ taxi and hold short at JI‚ runway 03. 2:03 CO-PILOT: Taxiing to hold short at JI‚ runway 03‚ 103CD.. 2:30 CO-PILOT: You can see a glow around lights. 2:36 TOWER: We are having low-level fog patches at the airfield. 2:43 TOWER: General visibility in excess of 10 km‚ but it's not measured in the fog patches. 2:52 TOWER:Very low‚ very thin fog from the 03 threshold to approximately halfway down the runway‚ then it looks completely clear. 3:04 CO-PILOT: Roger that. Thank you. 3:10 103CD‚ cleared for takeoff runway 03‚ have a good flight. 3:17 CO-PILOT: Cleared for takeoff runway 03. 103CD. 4:48 CAPTAIN: All set. Takeoff. 5:28 CAPTAIN: Oh *****! 5:31 CAPTAIN: Aborting!

[@corjp]

Lessons to be learned on all parts, airport needs to get a better infrastructure around the taxi- and runways and foreign pilots need to study the airfield map more closely before getting "on the road".

[@californiadreaming9216]

Agree. And ALL aircraft should be fitted with a directional localizer allowing flight crew to determine/confirm aircraft's attitude and position on the airfield.

[@corjp]

@californiadreaming9216 you're right on that too.

[@jimmoynahan9910]

Infrastructure was fine, this was pilot error.

[@monkmodemalik8225]

Not the first this happened. Turkish airlines did the same

[@cchris874]

But TK crew had less of an excuse.

[@KashifKhursheed-ng1vk]

@@cchris874 Zero excuse when it comes to airport markings!

[@chrisscott4896]

Must take issue with the first word of your title. This mistake is perfectly believable.in poor visibility. As a co-pilot on Dart Heralds around 1970, I very nearly lined up on the runway edge lights at Gatwick. Fortunately, I quickly realised my mistake before the skipper had a chance to notice what I was doing. Later, during a long career on big jets, the potential for this and comparable errors when lining up for take-off in fog were fully recognised. It's all too easy to become disoriented in low visibility. To take one other example: some airports have two runways starting from almost the same position but in diverging directions. An example of this are runways 19 and 25R at Brussels (EBBR). Imagine if ATC cleared an a/c for take-off on one and it proceeded to do so on the other. So, having lined up on the runway lights in fog, pilots must check the a/c is on the correct heading. That won't help if you are lined up on the edge lights, so, if an ILS is available for landing on the runway, check that the localiser indication is bang in the middle.

[@dwaynemcallister7231]

Good comment Chris, very believable. Light's can be tricky recall the Air Canada flight mistaking the taxiway for the runway at SFO a few years ago ended in the arriving flight making a low pass over a line of jets waiting for departure. Also a Fed Ex 757 landing on the right runway instead of the left as cleared by tower at Tulsa OK. It happens.

[@PaulWhitcomb-ty6md]

If you know this, then FAA is aware of the problem and so are the pilots. Why has nothing been done about it?

[@sidoney101]

Love the render at the end. What a beautiful bird.

[@FOBob-sr1fd]

What sim software is MPC flights using? Whatever it is, I like it.

[@ronduncan9527]

That’s why edge lights are a different color. Amazing error.

[@Maxfr8]

...and that solid line designating the shoulder, similar to every road in the entire world. 🤦

[@henryptung]

To be fair, runway centerline lights are configurable to show either white or red, depending on the direction in use (should be showing red at the end of the runway, not the start), though it shouldn't show red at the beginning unless there's a systems failure of some kind. Runway edge lights are also usually white, like center-line lighting, except for displaced thresholds (which Biggen Hill's runway 03 has). That's the reason it's red in this case.

[@brianfearn4246]

Similar to a motorway different colour studs - cats eyes so you can identify the lanes in poor visibility

[@chrisscott4896]

"Amazing error." Do you mean the ignorance on your part?

[@chrisscott4896]

@@henryptung Yes, I think that's all correct. Runway centreline lights as displayed for aircraft in the take-off direction are white from the start of the take-off run. As you say, towards the far (upwind) end of the runway, they change to a mixture of red and white as a warning to aircraft both taking off and landing. However, that's all academic in this case because, AFAIK, Biggin Rwy 03/21 does not have runway centreline lights.

[@ecliptix5436]

It's always nice when the situation becomes critical.

[@allenmurray7893]

I believe that Biggin Hill is an old RAF base. They must have converted it to a civilian field.

[@bernardkealey6449]

Primarily civilian for >70 years

[@neilpickup237]

Many military airports were built in the UK during World War Two. It was inevitable that many became surplus to requirements during peacetime. It simply made more sense to add to the existing facilities of those surplus airports rather than starting from scratch.

[@oxcart4172]

More importantly, it's got a kind of Spitfire factory there!

[@kpnut59]

It was indeed an RAF base, one of the most famous airfields due to the part in played during the Battle of Britain in ww2. I've been there many times to attend airshows & even took part in a Spitfire hunt when I was a member of the Air Training Cadets. It is rumoured that there is the remains of one in the undergrowth/woods near to the airfield, needless to say nothing was found.

[@goodo5691]

remember the singapore airlines crash at Taipai...entered the wrong rumway than was being repaired, while in a typoon

[@Randomly_Browsing]

Flight 006?

[@seriouscat2231]

@@Randomly_Browsing, ±1. It was an approaching typhoon. They wanted to get airborne before it, so they would not need to wait until it's gone.

[@rael5469]

I was prepared to blame the pilots but if I was on the jury I would put the blame on the airport. That looks like a tricky intersection at night. It should have been made crystal clear where the edges of the runway are.

[@typhoon2827]

I'd be interested to know the financial and insurance situations of all parties involved.

[@glennpickard2239]

airlines are normally covered for mistakes like that. I believe corporate carriers would be too.

[@typhoon2827]

@glennpickard2239 no no, Glenn. I think you misunderstand me 😉

[@barbaradavis393]

Very nice simulation.

[@lenmoss378]

what does this accident have to do with the title at London Biggin Hill Airport

[@ArthurTanner-d7s]

It happened at Biggin.

[@N1611n]

Watched a similar video to this involving a Turkish airline. Any idea to the title of the back ground music anyone?

[@terry_willis]

How could you NOT see the lights 2 feet to the right of the white line?

[@michaelcanty4940]

Comair 5191 took off at Lexington Bluegrass airport Aug 27, 2006 on the too short General Aviation runway. Only the co pilot survived. Very early flight in darkness and the airport renovation had made the longer runway too easy to line up on.

[@Rob-100]

Hind sight is wonderful on LVO take off we used to put the ILS up to check the centre line. And yes I know the ILS is for 21.

[@Rob-100]

Just a thought why now make edge lights green centre lights white

[@Trevor_Austin]

Then we’ll be taxying down runways.

[@Rob-100]

@ maybe blue for the taxi ways. Who knows.what I see it’s can cause confusion so it’s needs looking at.

[@aeomaster32]

@@Rob-100 centre line taxi lights are green. Sideline blue is the alternative for taxi lighting.

[@evanlinn5869]

There was a similar situation many years ago with a G-IV out of Chicago Palwaukee Airport, except that crew refused to abort after running off the runway, killing everyone aboard, themselves included. Poor CRM cited as part of the probable cause.

[@snuggles03]

so what penalty did the pilots get? even watching the video, i could see the runway to the right of the plane’s heading.

[@Trevor_Austin]

Punishing those who make honest, genuine mistakes is the quickest way back to the dark ages. A remember a comment by a the person in charge of a country’s aviation “Dis am de safe-est cuntry in de worl. We is so safe we hasn’t had one air safetee reput.”

[@seriouscat2231]

This video is, of course, from a simulator. Not actual footage from the actual event.

[@andersschoen3613]

A proper briefing before departure is a must. Even more so on a unfamiliar airport. And very much so in low vis and or at night. That’s why in low vis the LOC Freq should always also be selected as it is the last indication that you are on the center line and or not on the correct runway. And also in todays fancy cockpits with moving maps and or iPad with a/c position in real time is a fantastic aid. Sad ending of a nice aircraft. Good all got out unharmed.

[@WingNuts2010]

So, did the crew not refer to the airport charts in their pre-flight briefing, and why did they not just follow the yellow taxi line?

[@brianjames2549]

A detailed description of the runway lighting system at each licensed airport must be provided in the State AIPs. It must include details, including colour, intensity and extent, of: the runway threshold lights and any wing bars the runway edge lights the runway end lights and any wing bars any runway touchdown zone lights any runway centre line lights any stopway lights

[@headfella]

What a rookie mistake! Perhaps too much partying the night before? I’m not buying the centre line lighting argument either. This captain has enough experience to know the difference between centre line lighting and runway edge lighting even under low visibility. As a former pilot it’s unconscionable in my mind to make this mistake. There may be crew rest or other crew incapacitation factors.

[@larrybaker5316]

I bet the airport runway designer and pilots all had to stay after class and write on the blackboard.."I will be more careful in the future"........

[@glider1157]

How is this possible? I cannot believe it!

[@michaelcolligan]

I have flown out of Biggin and its a very simple configuration. It is hard to see how an experienced captain could make such a gross error.

[@Trevor_Austin]

How many times in fog with met vis

[@spiderman300600]

@@Trevor_Austin what’s the lowest take-off RVR at Biggin? I don’t think it’s below 100m!!!

[@williamgreen5893]

The actual aircraft is the Glll, but the aircraft in the video is a GlV with RR TAY engines and SPZ8000 DISPLAY UNITS (qty 6) for main instrumentaion. I have these types rated on my CAA/EASA license.

[@xtremepowersports4329]

How does that happen? Seriously, how does that happen

[@bernardkealey6449]

Lack of international lighting standards compounded with fog mixed with unfamiliarity by pilots. It surely happened previously but this only came to attention because of undercarriage failure and subsequent hull write off.

[@Trevor_Austin]

@@bernardkealey6449 It’s happened many, many times before. My hand is also up. In the simulator I nearly got it wrong. Been there. Seen it. Nearly got the T-shirt.

[@aeomaster32]

It happens when you don't think dumb things can happen or are beyond imagination.

[@waldoinaz]

Both pilots were promptly employed by Spirit Airlines without question. “Spirit Airlines…we hire only the best.”

[@joeyjamison5772]

...or Aerosucre.

[@evangelstrategies]

I vote for Aerosucre. They too hire the best.

[@joeyjamison5772]

Spirit actually filed for bankruptcy this morning. I guess that figures.

[@frankfarago2825]

Loving it. "They" "UNKNOWINGLY" -- cannot find the center line of the runway. So instead, they just follow any old line and set of lights that could see. Hell and back, just what do you need for a pilot's license these days? Will a WalMart frequent shopper's card do?

[@PaulWhitcomb-ty6md]

Some accountability is in order. Sobriety tests at least?

[@tonycleworth8116]

Where did the PC simulation come from. I didn’t think Gulfstream licensed it to any commercial software provider!?

[@ADAPTATION7]

I know you can't pass judgement, but I always try and make my mistakes believable.

[@dwaynemcallister7231]

This is believable.

[@seriouscat2231]

It's just seat of the pants flying. In an environment where formalities are frowned upon, sticking to them becomes an uphill battle and you look out of place.

[@yuckabuster]

Love how you end your videos...with tribute flights.

[@PWC67]

Unlike a PC24 it wasn’t designed for dirt strips 😂 What absolute idiots.

[@justadreamin1004]

This might be a stretch ------ was this Creflo Dollar's plane? Seems like I remember his G-3 got pranged in the U.K. and was a total loss.

[@malcolmr9340]

Most of the runways I've landed and taken off from , the runway centre line is usual white except for the final 1000' which are red warning lights of threshold approaching..

[@guinnog2]

A remarkable mistake for two trained aircrew to make.

[@capenovegia]

Trained?

[@KashifKhursheed-ng1vk]

The world is desperate to fill those jobs. Can't keep up with quality.

[@duncandmcgrath6290]

@6:58 Are you trying to make it the runways fault wtf? Yellow line center from a taxiway always leads center!

[@robotswithgunzlol]

There is literally no excuse for this. It's a shocking display of incompetence and indifference. If I'd made a mistake so fundamental as this, I'd be handing back my licence and going to work in Tesco.

[@corjp]

Do not forget the lack of proper lighting on and near the taxi and runways as proclaimed. That too made this into a horrible f.-up

[@cchris874]

@@corjp I can see this much more understandable than most responses here. If the runway was twice as wide, and there were no center lights, and it's dark and foggy, and thus the edge lights looked to be right in the center, why is it so incredible?

[@marksmith8079]

@@cchris874 Indeed it is worse than foggy because then you can't see much at all and you understand that rather its patchy fog so the pilots can only see misleadinng information only. Gulfstream III is not fitted with runway information system. A Singapore Airlines flight with such runway system managed to get on the wrong runway. If This runway lighting had been inset then mispositioning wouldn't be anyway near as much as a problem.

[@Consrignrant]

Do ya think? Your "opinion" is worthless. Imbecile. And, by the way, learn how to use the word " literally" properly.

[@malcolmwhite6588]

Apart from your intolerance to human error, I would suggest (with your comment) that You are likely to be perfect , yourself.😂 I didn’t see anywhere near harsh. I thought there was no evidence of indifference and to me hardly a shocking display of incompetence. In the circumstances. I felt there were a number of error enforcing conditions and confirmation by us that I would believe a number of pilots would make.

[@outofhere7623]

The airport shouldn’t have been open in the first place if it wasn’t properly equipped for fog conditions. Luckily, nobody was killed.

[@markwgoldsmith]

it was properly equipped to the standards required on the day. Centreline lighting was not a requirement for those conditions.

[@rossk4864]

Centerline lights or no, hard to imagine this being possible. Although there was an incident in Anchorage Alaska with a Korean airliner taking off on the taxiway which may even be harder to imagine. Seems to me, if it was too foggy for pilots to figure out their position on the runway, it was too foggy for departure.

[@gazza2933]

Biggin Hill was a military airfield ,hence the ORP. Incredible that they both missed that they weren't on the centre-line.

[@Keithj136]

Was the pilot and first officer allowed to fly againg ??

[@ianhereinaz1]

They were immediately courted to fly for Ryan Air

[@Keithj136]

@@ianhereinaz1 ha ha it figures lol. 😎

[@scottyjohnson3120]

Not the pilots fault.

[@rtbrtb_dutchy4183]

@@scottyjohnson3120of course it’s the pilot’s fault.

[@nellinightshade3358]

Wouldn't let him loose with a paper plane!!

[@Rodgerball]

The two pilots are now working for the FAA.

[@billpugh58]

Republicans want to defund the FAA. Good idea! Totally deregulate and let money influence the safety instead of the gubment! Boeing will be pleased!

[@jukkatakamaa7274]

...or they have a flying school for the blind.

[@aeomaster32]

Mistakes happen when you don't think dumb things can happen or are beyond imagination. What about you?

[@jukkatakamaa7274]

@@aeomaster32 ...yes a fog is really bad aspect here.

[@jafo808]

doesn’t the towers radar pick up the location of the aircraft , and let the pilots know of the error, ??

[@777pilotforfun]

These “ professionals “ have an accident rate 9times higher than 121 airlines

[@billyjack3361]

How do you not identify RED runway edge lights?

[@Trevor_Austin]

So you haven’t read the AAIB report then.

[@jukkatakamaa7274]

...color blindness ?

[@hanscattini007]

How on earth could they not know .. Poor Aircraft .

[@rtbrtb_dutchy4183]

Right. It’s flabbergasting.

[@cchris874]

@@rtbrtb_dutchy4183 Seems to me this is a much less severe case of pilot negligence. Might you have been fooled too if you hadn't studied the diagram super carefully beforehand? How many pilots would think the need to do that?

[@rtbrtb_dutchy4183]

@@cchris874 I don’t really study the airport chart much. But I do now what a centerline is. I’ve never almost mistaken the side of a runway for the centerline. You gotta be really not pay attention much if you miss that. I’ve also flown in and out of Biggin Hill a few times. I don’t remember this airport being confusing.

[@Trevor_Austin]

@@rtbrtb_dutchy4183 How many departures have you done in thick fog, ie. 100 M met vis/RVR?

[@Brian-kl1zu]

Interesting video; very unpleasant background music.

[@thor3399able]

No center line lights is a wth?... and in London? Rural areas understandable but...😅

[@stephenind859]

The video shows a nice flat string of lights pointing clearly down the runway to the horizon. Biggin isn't like that: the profile isn't flat at all.

[@michaeld5888]

Are your visuals showing the actual visibility seen by the crew at the time? I suspect not.

[@garyderipaska675]

Quick way to lose your job by lining up on the runway edge lights AND starting the takeoff roll . Great video of a GIV though.

[@shanec.7105]

This can happen to anyone. Such a trap exist because of bad ground setup. People are coming up with conclusions that they have no idea about or experienced.

[@TheAnxiousAardvark]

Exactly. The report doesn't let the crew off entirely, but the recommendation, like in other similar incidents, points at revising airport design and standardizing lighting.

[@palco22]

Sortta like those who blame poor road intersections designs for their poor driving skills.

[@TheAnxiousAardvark]

@@palco22 Except that the airport itself already noted that they had issues that they needed to correct with that intersection & runway.

[@palco22]

@@TheAnxiousAardvark Not an issue when you know how to drive. ... now is it.

[@TheAnxiousAardvark]

@@palco22 You didn't read the report, did you?

[@Morpheus187]

The plane turned into a lawnmower.

[@wasserdagger]

lol Or perhaps an earth excavator

[@oat138]

How come they were the only pilots in the history of Biggen Hill to make that mistake?

[@henryptung]

Well, given they're installing runway center-line lighting in 2025, seems like the administration has identified (and is improving) an infrastructural gap here.

[@blackandgold676]

That you know of, and so far...

[@majorp7967]

Incredible mistake but we all are humans and therefore not perfect

[@marks6663]

lol, this is how low your bar is? This is acceptable human performance? And anything better is perfection?

[@rona4960]

@@marks6663 He made no mention of it being acceptable, but your flapping lips certainly assumed he did.

[@howlr747]

Well what more do you need? Taxiway guidance lines painted, white runway edge lines painted, giant centreline arrows. Shortly you'll see the piano keys with the runway identifier painted. Then using red runway edge lights as centreline guidance? Did it not occur that lined up on the runway edge lights, there were no runway edge lights to the right but they were to the left? If not visible to the left because of fog, then that is serious fog and they should have known not to press on! So ends a promising tag-comedy career and a gorgeous 30 year old aeroplane.

[@jafo808]

light fog or not , tower error

[@zebrahuhn5899]

License pulled?

[@maramé.r]

Why did the runway have no centre lights? Seems decidedly negligent to operate an airport with such a deficiency

[@a320nick]

Airport at that level trying to run itself on the cheap.

[@GarthWatkins-th3jt]

Do airline companies get an insurance check to compensate for the loss of their plane in a crash? Just curious, not suspicious.

[@bernardkealey6449]

It would have been the insurance company who said “uneconomic to repair, here’s the cheque for pre-crash market value”, which on a 30yo G would have been about 10% of new list price…

[@seriouscat2231]

@@bernardkealey6449, new list price for the current model is $45M, the current market value of the crashed plane was below $1M.

[@FinelyOnTrail]

In any endeavor, no matter how low you set the bar someone will always limbo under it.

[@myredute]

Absolute pilot stupidity which is why most of these crashes etc. happen. How the hell didn't the pilot or co-pilot see the runway lights on the right side of the runway. Hope they paid for the damage to the nose gear & fired for incompetency!

[@mrJimCharles]

Looks like maybe the layout of the runway was complete stupidity here??

[@myredute]

@@mrJimCharles So instead of following the yellow taxiway line all the way around to the arrow on the main runway, these morons cut it short. Not the layout of the runway pal, but the layout of what's between the pilots ears!. Your comment is pretty damn stupid Jim Charles!

[@notnice3721]

Yikes! At 4:50, the sound-effects make the back of the plane look like a giant, alien bug-monster! (Me and my imagination! 🤭)

[@MPCFlights]

😁

[@heatingairservices8708]

wow fog conditions but how would pilots Not Know Center line had NO lighting ahead of take off @ pref light ..luckily no one Hurt & the air craft can be repaired

[@seriouscat2231]

The aircraft was a total loss, both according to this video and according to news articles on this crash.

[@Matt-mo8sl]

One of the saddest sights on the planet is the sight of a wrecked Gulfstream.

[@billymacktexasdetective5827]

Get a grip...

[@billfraser9731]

Yeah Harris loss really was sadder for communism people . He her they it she what hello dog cat, etc

[@infectdiseaseepidemiology2599]

Apparently sadder to you than the baked corpses contained therein? Compared to the human suffering globally, the distributed metal parts are minor-at least in my own system of priorities and values.

[@peterfitzpatrick7032]

@@billymacktexasdetective5827 Billymack, people are weird nowadays.... I can think of HUNDREDS of much "sadder" sights than this no injuries and a 30y.o. plane totalled... yep, get a grip, Matt ... 🙄😂

[@dennislydon6769]

Maybe the big fat solid white line and not a divided white line might have nee a clue for captain Magoo that he was not on the centerline.

[@dougmarshall4010]

How do you confuse red with white lights?

[@TheAnxiousAardvark]

@dougmarshall4010 I wondered the same. The report states: "There is nothing inherent in an individual edge light that distinguishes it from a centreline light when viewed along the axis of the bi-directional element. It is the pattern of edge lights, and the relationship of this pattern to the pattern of other lights and to other visual cues, which identifies them as edge lights."

[@benyomovod6904]

Fog or not There is a preflight briefing, maps are available. OK, the missing blue center lights, and the bad information in the tablet. But every passenger knows, centerlines are BLUE lit, center line is painted white with interrupts, side limitations are uninterrupted, piano stripes might help, but every runway has huge, lit plates and usually the runway number indicating the compass direction

[@joereedmusic9853]

A text book 'Head up and Locked' situation.

[@rthomas2500]

Fuselage now at the SWAM Museum near Cardiff.

[@svenf1]

"The things we did on our last day as corporate pilots"

[@timothywackerle2374]

Now I’ve seen everything.

[@lewiskemp5893]

I've seen a video of another plane doing this

[@minopamma]

Nice effects.

[@brucestafford1813]

Hard to believe in the days of EFB and handheld airport taxiway diagrams.

[@Nobilangelo]

8:15 'The nice thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from...'

[@thepirate5955]

No thrust reversers?

[@appaho9tel]

you can see they are deployed

[@rickrodrigues2219]

2:19 "While waiting for clearance to enter the runway, they begin performing the pre-flight check list." I'm thinking they should be well past that & should be doing a "pre takeoff" check list! ~$50M write-off! My sympathy for the passengers!

[@MPCFlights]

Yeah, I meant to say pre takeoff

[@seriouscat2231]

The price of a used one like the one that crashed is below $1M. But it costs a minimum of twice as much a year to operate. Also, the owner is a famous televangelist, so if you ask me, he never really earned the plane. It was mostly donations from poor people, who now need to donate him another one.

[@Brassy49er]

Seems to me that the Center line should be a unique color to other light.

[@Strada62]

The regs clearly state, "8 hours from bottle to throttle" I'm sorry but something like that is a rookie mistake.

[@se2103]

Aren’t there BIG numbers painted on both ends of A Runway?

[@Trevor_Austin]

Yes. But the BIG numbers are on the runway, not the displaced threshold.

[@se2103]

@@Trevor_Austin exactly.

[@martynh5410]

Owner of the aircraft: “We are going to deduct the cost of this aircraft from your pay checks!” PF: oh, okay. How much, and how many pay checks?” Owner: let’s see. We can purchase a good used one for $850,000. We can deduct $2,000 from each monthly paycheck for….. 35,000 years”

[@seriouscat2231]

That's 400 months, which is a little over 33 years. It costs much more to operate one for a year than to buy a used one.