Summary

  • A LATAM flight between Sao Paulo and Sao Jose almost landed in the wrong airport due to a GPS mismatch, but the crew quickly realized the error and initiated a go-around.
  • This incident is not unique, as there have been previous cases of flights landing at the wrong airport, including examples in Brazil and the United States.


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A LATAM Brasil flight LA4640 flying between Sao Paulo Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) and So José do Río Preto Airport (SJP) almost ended up in the wrong airport after the crew reported to have a GPS mismatch.


Ending up in the wrong airport

Remember those online jokes in which people put big signs outside of certain airports with the names of other airports, thus confusing the passengers if they were actually landing in the wrong place? Well, this time, a LATAM flight almost landed in the wrong place. However, no prankster was behind the incident.

As reported first by The Aviation Herald, the incident took place on November 14. The aircraft involved, an Airbus A320-200 registration PR-MHM, was performing flight LA4640 between Sao Paulo Guarulhos and Sao José do Rio Preto.

While on approach to Sao José do Rio Preto, the crew reported they had encountered a GPS mismatch. Shortly after, the crew told the air traffic controller they had begun the RNAV approach procedure to Sao Jose, but the controller sent them back to the approach frequency as they were too far out to be talking to the tower.

A LATAM Brasil flight almost lands in the wrong airport

Photo: FlightRadar24.

After resuming communications with the approach controllers, the pilots contacted Sao Jose’s tower frequency again. They told them they were now beginning a 360-degree descending turn toward the airport. Once again, the controllers in the airport’s tower sent them to the approach frequency, but this time, the crew said they had the airport in sight.

That’s when the controllers at Sao José explained to the pilots on flight LA4640 that they were approaching Catanduva Aerodrome, which is about 33 miles away from Sao Jose.

The speed and altitude graph of LATAM Brasil's flight that almost landed in the wrong airport

Photo: FlightRadar24.

After finding out about their mistake, the crew initiated a go-around at about 1,000 feet, contacted the approach, and positioned to the correct airport for a safe landing.

Shortly after, LATAM’s flight landed in the correct airport without further issue.

More incidents like this

While it is not something that happens every day, there have been incidents in the past of flights landing at the wrong airport due to some sort of mishap. In Brazil, it has happened in the past as well.

In 2011, an Azul Linhas Aéreas Embraer ERJ-195 operating the flight AD9136 from Fortaleza to Teresina landed in Timon, about 3.1 nautical miles away from its actual destination. When the crew realized its mistake, they took off again and completed the journey with only a 20-minute delay.

A LATAM Airbus A320neo seen from above

Photo: Thiago B Trevisan | Shutterstock.

A Southwest Airlines flight also missed its intended airport in 2014. The flight operated onboard a Boeing 737-700, was supposed to land at Branson Airport, the main commercial airstrip near Branson, Missouri. Instead, it landed at the M. Graham Clark Downtown Airport, about seven miles from its true destination. Onboard the flight, there were 124 passengers.

But this is not all! There are many more incidents like this, and we have recently published a brief history of flights landing at the wrong airport. Be sure to check it out.

Do you know of any more incidents where a commercial flight almost ends up in the wrong airport? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: The Aviation Herald, FlightRadar24.

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