Fatal Error! How UPS Flight 1354 Ended in Disaster

Mentour Pilot
11 May 202440:59

Summary

TLDRThe video script recounts a tragic incident involving a UPS cargo plane that crashed while attempting to land at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Airport. The pilots, despite being experienced, continued an unstabilized approach and failed to monitor their altitude, leading to a descent below the minimum descent altitude and a subsequent crash. The investigation into the accident revealed probable causes, including fatigue, inadequate rest, and a lack of proper communication regarding runway conditions. The video emphasizes the shared responsibility for addressing pilot fatigue and the need for better training and communication to prevent such incidents. It also discusses the importance of following standard procedures and the potential impact of human factors on flight safety.

Takeaways

  • ✈️ The accident involved a UPS Airbus A300 cargo plane approaching an airport at night with a crew that had not been adequately rested, highlighting the risks of pilot fatigue.
  • 📉 The crew failed to follow proper procedures regarding the flight management computer (FMC), leading to a misinterpretation of their approach path.
  • ⚠️ The pilots did not adhere to the planned constant descent approach (CDA) and instead flew an unstabilized approach, which contributed to the accident.
  • 🛰️ There was a lack of communication between the flight dispatcher and the pilots about the closed runway, which would have required a different approach.
  • 🕒 The crew did not utilize the available rest time efficiently, which likely impacted their performance and decision-making during the flight.
  • 📋 The investigation revealed that the crew did not follow the standard operating procedures, including not setting the correct missed approach altitude.
  • 🔍 The crew's situational awareness was compromised, as they failed to notice the flight plan discontinuity and did not correct their approach path.
  • 😴 The first officer was suffering from a significant sleep debt, which likely affected her performance and contributed to the accident.
  • 🚨 The Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) provided a late warning due to the aircraft's proximity to the airport, which was insufficient to prevent the crash.
  • ⛔ The crew did not initiate a go-around when they reached the minimum descent altitude without visual contact with the runway, which is a critical safety protocol.
  • 🔑 Key lessons from the accident included the importance of proper rest, adherence to standard procedures, and the need for better communication and training to manage fatigue and operational risks.

Q & A

  • What were the challenges faced by cargo pilots that were discussed in the script?

    -The challenges faced by cargo pilots include flying mostly at night, which comes with difficulties such as fatigue and the need for proper rest and sleep management.

  • Why were new flight time limitations for pilots published in January 2012 in the United States?

    -The new flight time limitations were published to provide more stringent limitations for pilots, specifically for those conducting passenger transport, in response to safety concerns and debates during the early 2010s.

  • Why were cargo pilots exempt from the new flight time limitations?

    -Cargo airlines successfully lobbied for an exemption from the new rules, arguing that these rules would not be realistic for their mostly nocturnal operations, and instead relied on their own fatigue management systems.

  • What was the role of the captain and first officer in the accident flight?

    -The captain and first officer were responsible for operating the aircraft. Their actions, decisions, and the way they managed their fatigue played a significant role in the events leading up to the accident.

  • What was the captain's background and experience with UPS?

    -The captain was 58 years old and had been working for UPS for almost 23 years. He started his career in the military, moved to regional airlines, and then became a flight engineer on the Boeing 727 for Transworld before joining UPS.

  • What were the fatigue-related issues that the first officer faced?

    -The first officer had a substantial sleep debt due to inefficient use of her scheduled rest time, and she had been complaining about the roster and difficulty staying awake during flights.

  • What was the significance of the NOTAM regarding the runway closure at the destination airport?

    -The NOTAM indicated that the main runway at the destination airport would be closed for work on the runway lights, which meant that only a shorter runway with no ILS precision approach was available for landing.

  • Why was the Airbus A300's FMC not properly set up for the approach?

    -The FMC was not properly set up because the waypoints for the approach were never updated or sequenced after the aircraft was cleared for a direct route to the airport. This led to a flight plan discontinuity and incorrect navigation information.

  • What was the probable cause of the accident according to the investigation?

    -The probable cause of the accident was the pilot's continuation of an unstabilized approach and their failure to monitor the aircraft's altitude, leading them to descend below the minimum descent altitude and into terrain.

  • What were the recommendations made after the investigation to prevent similar accidents?

    -Recommendations included more collaborative training on fatigue management, making constant descent approaches mandatory for commercial aircraft, providing more information to pilots about lower GPWS warning margins, and improving cockpit warnings when the FMC is not properly set up.

  • Why was the GPWS warning late in this scenario?

    -The GPWS warning was late because the aircraft was so close to the airport that the warning envelope had been reduced to avoid nuisance warnings, and the controller did not receive any advance warnings about the aircraft's situation.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Introduction to Cargo Pilot Challenges and Fatigue Management

The video begins by highlighting the split-second decisions that cargo pilots must make, especially during challenging night landings. It discusses the demanding nature of cargo piloting, the prevalence of night operations, and the unique fatigue challenges faced. The segment also touches on the debate over pilot flight time limitations in the US during the early 2010s, the publication of new rules in 2012 that did not apply to cargo pilots, and the frustration this caused among pilots. The responsibility of managing fatigue is emphasized to be shared among pilots, airlines, and regulators.

05:00

👨‍✈️ Background of the Pilots and Their Preceding Schedules

The video provides a detailed background of the two pilots involved in the incident. The captain, a 58-year-old with nearly 23 years of experience at UPS, had a history of suboptimal performance in recurrent training sessions but was well-liked and respected. Before the flight, he had expressed concerns about his roster and fatigue. The first officer, 37 years old, had a clean training record and was considered a top-notch pilot. However, she had also been experiencing fatigue and had not managed to get adequate rest before the flight. The video outlines their activities and rest periods leading up to the accident flight.

10:03

🛫 The Flight Itinerary and the Pilots' Preparations

The pilots' flight itinerary is described, detailing their first two uneventful flights and their scheduled night stop. The first officer's struggle with fatigue continues as she tries to catch up on sleep without success. The captain, on the other hand, seems well-rested. They prepare for their final flight, a split duty with two flights and a break in between. The video also discusses the use of NordVPN by the video team for security and access to better prices, and a sponsorship message is included.

15:04

🚨 The Approach to Birmingham and the NOTAM Oversight

As the pilots prepare for their final flight to Birmingham, they review the briefing material which indicates low clouds and a weak front near the airport. A NOTAM warns of the closure of the main runway, leaving only a shorter runway available for landing. This information is not communicated directly to the pilots by the dispatcher, leading to a critical oversight. The pilots, unaware of the closed runway, do not file an alternate approach and continue with their preparations. The aircraft is described as being in great condition, and the pilots proceed with their flight.

20:06

🛬 Descent and Approach to Birmingham Airport

The pilots are cleared for their descent and approach to Birmingham Airport. The first officer listens to the ATIS, which provides crucial weather information and the fact that Runway 18 is in use. This information surprises the pilots, who were not aware of the runway closure. The video explains the process of navigating using the flight management computer (FMC) and the importance of updating the waypoints. However, the pilots fail to update the FMC correctly, leading to a discrepancy in the expected flight path.

25:07

📉 Descent Below Minimums and the Approach to Runway 18

The pilots continue their descent, but the captain's concern about being 'kept high' by ATC leads to a series of decisions that result in an unstabilized approach. The captain selects a higher descent rate than is standard, and the first officer fails to call out the approach minimums as required. The crew misses the opportunity to initiate a missed approach when they pass below the minimum descent altitude without visual contact with the runway. The aircraft's descent continues, and the pilots do not realize their altitude and position relative to the runway.

30:09

⚠️ GPWS Activation and The Tragic Impact

As the aircraft continues to descend well below the minimum descent altitude, the Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) issues a 'Sink Rate' warning, indicating a potentially dangerous descent rate. The captain spots the runway at a dangerously low altitude, but it is too late to avoid a collision. The aircraft strikes trees and power lines before crashing into an earth mound, resulting in a catastrophic impact that claims the lives of both pilots. The video describes the confusion among the rescue teams and the delayed response to the crash.

35:09

🔍 Investigation Findings and Recommendations

The investigation into the accident identifies the probable cause as the pilots' continuation of an unstabilized approach and their failure to monitor the aircraft's altitude. The report highlights the role of fatigue, especially the first officer's significant sleep debt, and the lack of effective communication regarding the runway closure. Recommendations include improved collaborative training on fatigue management, making constant descent approaches mandatory for commercial aircraft, and enhancing cockpit warnings for improper FMC setup. Airbus is also advised to make automatic call-outs standard. The video concludes with an invitation for viewers to join the creator's Patreon for further discussion.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Split second decision

A split second decision refers to a choice that must be made very quickly, often in emergency situations or under high-pressure circumstances. In the video, it is mentioned in the context of making a rapid decision while landing an aircraft at night, which can lead to disastrous outcomes if made incorrectly.

💡Cargo pilot

A cargo pilot is a professional who operates aircraft to transport goods and cargo rather than passengers. The video discusses the challenges of being a cargo pilot, particularly the fact that most cargo operations occur at night, which presents unique difficulties and risks.

💡Pilot fatigue

Pilot fatigue refers to the physical and mental exhaustion that can affect a pilot's performance and decision-making abilities. The video emphasizes the importance of managing fatigue among pilots, as it can lead to serious accidents if not properly addressed.

💡Flight time limitations

Flight time limitations are regulations that restrict the number of hours a pilot can work or fly within a certain period to prevent fatigue. The video discusses changes to these rules in the United States and how they affected cargo pilots differently than passenger transport pilots.

💡Non-precision approach

A non-precision approach is an aircraft landing maneuver that uses only the horizontal guidance from a localizer signal without vertical guidance from a glideslope. The video describes how this type of approach is more complex and requires additional planning and execution, which can be challenging in low visibility conditions.

💡Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA)

The Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA) is the lowest altitude at which a pilot can safely continue a descent during an instrument approach without visual reference to the ground. The video highlights the importance of adhering to the MDA to avoid descending too low and potentially hitting obstacles.

💡Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS)

The Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) is an aircraft system designed to alert pilots when there is a risk of collision with the ground or an obstacle. In the video, the GPWS issues a 'Too low, terrain' warning, indicating the aircraft was dangerously close to the ground.

💡Circadian low

Circadian low refers to the natural dip in a person's alertness and performance that occurs due to the body's internal clock, typically experienced in the early morning or late at night. The video suggests that the effects of flying during a circadian low, combined with fatigue, may have contributed to the pilots' impaired judgment.

💡Flight Management Computer (FMC)

The Flight Management Computer (FMC) is an advanced system used on modern aircraft to manage the flight plan, navigation, and fuel consumption. The video details how the FMC was not properly set up for the approach, leading to incorrect flight path information and contributing to the accident.

💡Stabilized approach

A stabilized approach is a term used to describe an aircraft's descent and approach to landing that is within predefined parameters for speed, rate of descent, and configuration, ensuring a safe and controlled landing. The video discusses how the pilots failed to maintain a stabilized approach, which was a critical factor in the accident.

💡NOTAM (Notice to Airmen)

A Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) is a notification filed in an official publication that contains information essential to personnel concerned with flight operations but not known far enough in advance to be included in the Airway Manual. The video mentions a NOTAM about a closed runway that the pilots overlooked, which affected their approach and contributed to the accident.

Highlights

The transcript describes a challenging scenario where a cargo plane is landing at night, highlighting the unique difficulties faced by cargo pilots.

A debate in the US during the early 2010s led to new flight time limitations for passenger transport pilots, but not for cargo pilots due to the nocturnal nature of cargo operations.

Cargo airlines lobbied for exemptions from new rules, citing their own fatigue management systems, which led to frustration among pilots.

The responsibility for addressing pilot fatigue lies with pilots, airlines, and regulators, with a failure by any party potentially leading to fatigue-related incidents.

The captain's background and experience with UPS, including his transition from military to regional flights and his eventual upgrade to captain, is detailed.

The captain had received poor grades in recurrent training sessions, particularly in non-precision approaches.

The captain's concerns about the roster's impact on fatigue and his struggle to maintain energy levels are discussed.

The first officer's career progression with UPS, her clean training records, and the recognition by her peers are highlighted.

The first officer's recent complaints about rosters and exhaustion, including an incident where she was found extremely tired, are mentioned.

The pilots' schedules and rest periods before the accident flight are outlined, indicating potential sleep debt issues.

The lack of communication regarding the closed runway and the reliance on pilots to seek clarification are criticized.

The potential for avoiding the accident by delaying the flight to use the main runway is discussed, highlighting a missed opportunity for prevention.

The aircraft's heavy landing weight due to its cargo is noted, which could have influenced the approach and landing strategy.

The pilots' failure to update the flight management computer (FMC) properly, leading to a faulty approach path, is a key oversight.

The captain's incorrect assumption about being 'kept high' by ATC and the resulting unstabilized approach is identified as a critical error.

The crew's missed opportunities to recognize and correct their descent profile, including the lack of callouts for minimums, are discussed.

The final moments of the flight, including the GPWS warnings and the ultimate crash, are detailed, emphasizing the tragic outcome.

Investigation findings point to the probable cause of the accident being the pilot's continuation of an unstabilized approach and failure to monitor altitude.

Recommendations from the investigation include improved training on fatigue, mandatory constant descent approaches, and enhanced cockpit warnings.

Transcripts

00:00

- [Petter] You know how sometimes you need to make

00:02

a split second decision to change your plan,

00:04

only to find out that your new decision

00:06

just made things much, much worse?

00:09

Well, now imagine that this is happening to you

00:11

as you're about to land an aircraft in the middle of the night.

00:14

- [GPWS] Too low. Terrain. Pull up.

00:16

- Stay tuned.

00:23

Being a cargo pilot is a challenging

00:25

and often wonderful job.

00:28

Now I haven't had the luck of trying it out myself

00:30

but I have plenty of friends who have

00:32

and whilst most of them absolutely love it,

00:35

there is no getting away from the fact

00:37

that most cargo operations happens at night

00:40

and that comes with some real challenges.

00:43

During the early 2010s, there had been a fierce debate

00:47

in the United States about improvements

00:48

of pilot flight time limitations

00:50

and in January 2012, new rules were actually published.

00:55

Those provided more stringent limitations,

00:57

specifically for pilots conducting passenger transport,

01:00

but curiously, not for cargo pilots.

01:03

The cargo airlines had successfully lobbied

01:05

that these new rules would not be realistic

01:08

for their type of mostly nocturnal operation

01:10

and Instead pointed to their own fatigue management systems,

01:13

which they had negotiated with their own unions.

01:16

Now even though the cargo airlines

01:18

might have had a point there,

01:19

this was obviously a source of great frustration

01:22

among their pilots, which we will soon see here.

01:25

But no matter how you turn it,

01:27

the responsibility for turning up rested for a flight is

01:30

and has always been shared

01:32

between both the pilots, the airline and the regulator

01:35

and if any one of those doesn't do their part,

01:38

well, then pilot fatigue can be the result,

01:41

which is worth remembering for this story.

01:43

I will get to the accident flight very soon

01:45

but before that, I want to have a look

01:47

at the two pilots involved in this story

01:49

and how they spent their days

01:50

before this fateful flight.

01:53

The captain was 58 years old and had been working for UPS

01:56

for almost 23 years.

01:58

He had started his career in the military

02:00

and moved on to the regionals

02:02

and then finally to a flight engineer position

02:04

on the Boeing 727 for Transworld.

02:07

Now he worked in that position for a while

02:09

before he upgraded to first officer and interestingly,

02:11

we don't know exactly how much total time

02:14

he had before joining UPS.

02:16

But once he joined, he went back to being a flight engineer

02:19

before again upgrading to first officer on the Boeing 727.

02:23

Now according to internal UPS records,

02:25

he then tried to upgrade to captain on the Boeing 757 twice

02:29

in the year 2000 but ended up

02:31

withdrawing voluntarily from both of those courses

02:34

since he found them too overwhelming.

02:37

Instead, in 2004, he changed over

02:39

to the Airbus A300 fleet where he continued flying

02:41

in the right seat for several years

02:43

before finally upgrading to captain in 2009.

02:47

His total flying experience in UPS was around 6,400 hours

02:51

of which 3,265 had been flown on the Airbus A300.

02:56

Now another thing that's worth pointing out about the captain

02:58

was that he had received poor grades

03:00

on a few occasions on his recurrent training sessions,

03:03

specifically around his knowledge

03:05

and execution of non-precision approaches.

03:08

He had, for example on a few occasions,

03:10

flown below the minimum descent altitude among other things.

03:15

But that had happened during training sessions

03:17

where the objective was to train to proficiency

03:20

so it had never caused any actual failed checkrides.

03:24

He was well liked by his colleagues

03:26

who described him as a diligent,

03:27

nice and competent pilot,

03:29

open to taking inputs from his colleagues.

03:32

But during the month before this flight,

03:34

he had begun to complain about the roster,

03:37

saying that it was getting harder and harder

03:39

with more and more legs having to be flown

03:41

and that he doubted that he would have

03:43

the energy to continue flying like that until he retired.

03:47

During the days before the accident flight,

03:49

the captain had, according to his wife,

03:51

been sleeping normally and had, before he started his duty,

03:54

tried to take regular naps in order to change

03:56

his body rhythm over from day to night shift.

03:59

During the evening before the accident flight,

04:01

his wife had dropped him off

04:02

at the UPS facility in Charlotte, North Carolina

04:05

where he had then flown as a passive crew member

04:07

over to Louisville.

04:09

Once he arrived there, he booked a sleep room

04:11

at the UPS crew facilities and napped for a few hours

04:14

before his shift started,

04:15

which means that he was likely reasonably well rested

04:18

and without any huge sleep debt at that point.

04:21

The first officer was 37 years old

04:24

and had been flying for both corporate

04:25

and regional operators before she was hired by UPS

04:28

as a 727 flight engineer back in 2006.

04:32

She quickly moved over to the 757 fleet

04:34

where she upgraded to first officer

04:36

and she then transitioned over to the 747

04:38

on which she stayed for a few years.

04:41

Then in 2012, she was again moved over

04:43

to the Airbus A300 where she had been operating ever since.

04:47

Her total time was just over 4,700 hours and out of those,

04:51

she had only flown around 400 hours on the Airbus

04:54

at the time of this flight.

04:56

Her training records were clean

04:58

and she was described as a top-notch person

05:00

with good flying skills and her captains liked flying with her.

05:04

But she had recently also started complaining

05:07

about the roster and how she barely

05:08

could keep her eyes open in flight sometimes.

05:12

On one occasion in March 2013,

05:14

a colleague had actually found her sitting

05:16

with her face down on a table in the crew room

05:18

complaining about being totally and completely exhausted.

05:22

Before the accident flight she had

05:23

started her shift flying one night flight

05:26

before having a further long break.

05:28

She then used that break by going visiting a friend

05:31

in Houston before on the following day going back

05:33

on a jump seat flight to San Antonio

05:35

and resuming her duty.

05:37

That duty included flying over from San Antonio

05:40

to Louisville in the late evening

05:41

of the 12th of August, where she would be crewed together

05:44

with the captain of this story.

05:46

Now even though she had mentioned

05:48

to her husband that she had been sleeping a lot

05:50

when she was visiting her friend,

05:51

her use of personal electronic equipment showed

05:54

that she'd really hadn't gotten

05:56

that much coherent sleep there

05:58

and that pattern continued throughout

06:00

the following day and night as well.

06:02

So this meant that it is likely that the first officer

06:05

had a substantial sleep debt

06:07

when her shift with the accident captain started

06:09

on the 13th of August, the day before the accident.

06:14

The two pilots met up in the UPS crew room in Louisville

06:16

around 02.30 in the morning

06:18

and started preparing their flights together.

06:20

Everything looked fine,

06:22

so they eventually just walked out the aircraft,

06:24

prepared it for departure and then took off

06:26

for their first flight over to General Downing in Peoria

06:29

and then their second to Chicago Rockford

06:31

where they had their scheduled night stop.

06:34

These flights were completely uneventful

06:36

and they ended up signing into their hotel rooms

06:38

at around 06.30 in the morning.

06:41

But already at around 10:45, only four hours later,

06:45

the first officer was seen having breakfast

06:47

in the hotel restaurant.

06:48

And she then was active on and off during the day

06:51

until it was time to sign in for their next duty.

06:54

It is likely that she had a few naps during the day

06:56

but not enough to cancel out that sleep debt

06:59

that she was now undoubtedly carrying with her.

07:02

The captain, on the other hand,

07:03

seemed to have rested properly during the night stop.

07:05

So he was in a quite good mood

07:07

as the hotel shuttle brought them out to the airport

07:09

at around 10 minutes past eight in the evening.

07:12

The duty that they had ahead of them

07:13

was what's known as a split duty

07:15

where they would be operating two flights

07:17

in the late evening followed by a few hours of rest

07:19

and then another flight in the very early morning.

07:22

They again started by going through the planning documents

07:25

which their dispatcher had prepared for them

07:27

and saw that there would be no major issues

07:29

during at least their first two flights.

07:31

They decided on fuel to take and then they walked

07:33

out of the aircraft and started it up as normal,

07:35

having no idea what was soon about to happen

07:39

and I'll tell you all about that after this:

07:42

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07:44

I could about this accident

07:45

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07:48

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07:51

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08:03

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08:48

Before they started, they had decided

08:49

that the captain would be pilot flying for the first flight

08:52

from Rockford over to Peoria

08:54

and then the first officer was going

08:55

to fly the second from Peoria over to Louisville.

08:58

Both flights went off without any problems

09:00

and when they finally landed in Louisville around midnight,

09:03

they saw that they would have an almost three-hour long break

09:06

until it was time for their last flight

09:07

over to Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Airport.

09:10

This was plenty of time to get some shut-eye

09:13

so both pilots booked a sleep room

09:15

at the UPS facilities to try

09:16

to get the most out of the break.

09:19

Now at this point, you might be wondering

09:20

what the routines actually were at UPS for avoiding fatigue.

09:24

I've already mentioned that cargo airlines

09:26

had been exempted from the coming rule changes

09:28

regarding crew flight time limitations

09:30

but that didn't mean that they weren't any rules in place.

09:34

In fact, UPS had negotiated with the unions rules

09:37

that were supposed to mitigate the threat of fatigue

09:39

and those rules were significantly stricter

09:42

than the minimum required at the time.

09:45

One super important part

09:46

of those rules was the pilot's ability to call in fatigue

09:50

whenever they felt that it was needed

09:51

and in that case, being taken off the roster immediately

09:54

with no questions asked.

09:56

This facility was available for all pilots,

09:59

but there were some strings attached to it.

10:02

You see UPS had put in force something known

10:05

as a sick bank where a certain amount of days

10:08

were available for each pilot every year.

10:11

A bonus on top of their regular pay

10:13

would then be paid out at the end of the year

10:15

based on the amount of days that were still left in that bank.

10:19

If a pilot called in fatigued, this would then be investigated

10:21

by a dedicated manager and if it was found

10:24

that the call was made unfairly

10:26

as in if the pilot had actually had enough rest

10:28

to avoid fatigue but hadn't used it properly

10:31

well, then a day would be removed

10:32

from that pilot's sick bank.

10:35

This was supposed to work as a positive incentive

10:37

for the pilots but anyone who knows humans

10:40

knows how quickly something like that

10:42

will start to be seen as a punishment instead

10:44

and how people will try to avoid losing out on that bonus

10:47

in whatever way they could.

10:50

At around 02:45 on the 14th of August,

10:53

the two pilots came out of their sleep rooms

10:55

and started preparing for their final flight.

10:58

Both of them had managed to get a bit of sleep

11:00

and they now started looking through the briefing material

11:03

that their flight dispatcher had once again prepared for them.

11:06

On the weather side, they showed a weak front

11:09

that was present just north of the Birmingham area

11:11

with a low pressure gradient,

11:12

meaning that they could expect very light winds,

11:15

but also some quite low clouds at around 400 feet.

11:19

The low clouds were clearing slowly

11:20

from the south so at the time the pilots

11:22

were looking at the observations,

11:24

the cloud ceiling was variable

11:25

between 600 and 1,100 feet.

11:28

On top of this there was also

11:30

a active notice to airmen, NOTAM,

11:32

which indicated that the main runway

11:34

at the destination airport, Runway 06/24

11:37

would be closed for some work

11:38

on the runway lights between 0400 and 0500.

11:43

Now their flight was scheduled

11:44

to arrive about 10 minutes before the runway

11:46

would be reopened again so this left

11:48

only Runway 18 available for landing.

11:51

This runway was significantly shorter than the main one,

11:54

7,099 feet instead of 11,998 and it also didn't have

11:59

an ILS precision approach available to it.

12:03

Instead there was a localizer

12:04

and an RNAV GPS non-precision approach available

12:07

and with the clouds as low as they were now indicating,

12:11

this would require an extra alternate to be filed

12:13

since it was a high likelihood

12:15

that the pilots wouldn't be able to see

12:16

the runway from the higher minimas of those approaches

12:20

The dispatcher who had been planning this flight

12:22

was well aware of this and had, therefore,

12:24

planned for Runway 18 to be used

12:26

but he didn't reach out to the crew directly

12:29

to communicate this slightly unusual circumstance.

12:32

He felt that it was up to the pilots to reach out to him

12:36

if they had any questions and he didn't want

12:37

to reach out and possibly insult the captain

12:40

with the information that he thought would be obvious.

12:43

At the time the dispatchers in the US

12:44

went through annual recurrent training

12:46

to keep their planning skills high

12:48

and also something known as DRM,

12:50

Dispatchers Resource Management,

12:51

but that training never included any pilots.

12:55

If that would have been the case,

12:56

the dispatcher would have probably known

12:58

that we pilots always appreciate any help that we can get

13:01

and no operational information

13:03

would be seen as improper or insulting.

13:06

And, in fact, on this occasion it looks

13:08

like the pilots indeed missed that NOTAM

13:10

about the closed runway as some later discussions

13:13

in the cockpit will soon show.

13:15

And the fact that this whole thing

13:17

could have likely been avoided

13:18

if the flight was just operationally delayed

13:20

by about 15 minutes or so

13:22

to allow the main runway to open

13:23

is just truly, truly tragic.

13:26

In any case, the pilots now finished up

13:28

their preparation and then ordered fuel

13:30

for the short 45 minutes hop down towards Birmingham.

13:33

Since the first officer had flown the previous flight,

13:35

the captain would now be flying.

13:37

So as soon as they got out of the aircraft,

13:38

he started setting it up for departure

13:40

as the first officer did the walk-around

13:42

and checked on the cargo loading.

13:44

The aircraft they were operating

13:46

was a 10-year-old Airbus A300

13:48

powered by two enormous Pratt & Whitney 4158 turbofan engines

13:52

and it was in great condition.

13:55

The pilots had asked for 34,650 pounds of fuel

13:58

and with a cargo of 89,227 pounds.

14:01

It would mean that they would be landing only 17,000 pounds

14:05

below the max landing weight,

14:06

meaning that they were quite heavy this morning.

14:09

When the first officer came back into the cockpit,

14:11

the captain gave her a departure briefing

14:13

and then finished up the last part

14:14

of the pre-flight preparation and checklist.

14:17

They then had to wait a little bit

14:18

for the final cargo loading to be completed.

14:20

And during that time they chatted

14:22

a bit about how they were feeling.

14:24

The first officer mentioned that she

14:25

had been feeling so tired when the alarm went off.

14:28

And they then continued discussing the unfairness

14:30

of the fact that they, cargo pilots,

14:32

would not be included in the new flight time limitations

14:35

that were being negotiated

14:37

like if there were second class pilots or something.

14:40

Now I want to clearly point out here

14:43

that these new rules for passenger-carrying pilots

14:45

was not yet in force at this point and even if they had been,

14:49

these pilots would have still been legal to fly

14:51

even if they had been subjected to those new rules.

14:55

The captain had only had a slightly shorter rest

14:57

than required under the new rules

14:59

a few months earlier and the first officer

15:01

was well within these new limits.

15:04

Anyway, they soon received the last pieces of paperwork

15:07

and at time 03:55, Flight 1354

15:09

requested pushback from the gate

15:11

and started moving towards their departure runway,

15:13

Runway 35 Right.

15:15

During the taxi-out the discussions in the cockpit

15:17

were professional and to the point

15:19

and at time 04:02, the captain advanced

15:22

the thrust levers in the cockpit

15:23

and the giant Airbus started accelerating down the runway.

15:28

The take-off was completely normal

15:30

and they initially climbed straight ahead

15:31

towards 5,000 feet according to their departure clearance.

15:35

They retracted the flaps and slats on schedule

15:37

and were soon handed over to the departure frequency

15:40

where the controller cleared them

15:41

to climb to 10,000 feet and to turn

15:43

onto an easterly radar heading

15:45

before finally clearing them south

15:47

down towards a VOR called BOWLING GREEN.

15:50

The first officer entered that VOR

15:52

into the flight management computer

15:53

and called out, "NAV available"

15:55

and the captain engaged the NAV mode.

15:58

Now this mode, the NAV mode,

15:59

will play an important role in what's soon about to happen.

16:03

You see modern aircraft generally follow

16:05

a predetermined flight plan

16:07

that have been approved by air traffic control,

16:09

long before the flight actually starts.

16:12

A part of pilot flying's preflight preparation