I'm gonna throw my $0.02 as a crewmember... Joe, Although not officially a 'rule', it is included in FAR 91.13 "Careless or reckless operation". In the US, pilots are taught to cross reference their instruments from the early days as a student pilot and is usually second nature soon afterwards. This includes confirmation of taxiway and/or runway assignment as continuous situational awareness. (Sort of like numerous "three green" checks on final out of paranoia of landing gear up, bit pilots still do.). The concern you have for the crew to stop and confirm their position, if need be, is already a subject in many company manuals as SOP. These issues have arisen mostly due to the numerous runway incursions and the related accidents/incidents during low visibility over the past 20-25 years or so and with Tenerife. (Vis was good at ANC as you earlier pointed out; so this opens another chapter). I also recall it being in an Advisory Circular, but I do not recall which one. However, these are US publications and may or may not be distributed widely elsewhere. (The US distributes this information within more widespread because many (most) other countries lack a wide variety of pilots...general aviation from the student pilots to ATPs flying 747-400s.). As far as your white lights and blue lights ...that's a given...not just FAA regs, but ICAO standards....and if anything, the Chinese know ICAO. Walter DCA ----- Original Message ----- From: "www.joepries.com" <airlinephoto@yahoo.com> To: <AIRLINE@LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU> Sent: Sunday, February 03, 2002 13:51 Subject: Re: CAL011 Incident at ANC > Stu, > off the top of my head- isnt it white lights on the rwy edges and blue lights on the twy edges as per FAA regs? shouldnt that have alerted the crew? > I strongly believe that the FAA should enact a new rule that both pilot and co pilot should do a verbal crosscheck prior to initiating t/o roll that confirms they are on assigned t/o rwy- if you dont see the numbers and/or can confirm them- STOP and ask yourself if you're in the right rwy and/or are you on a twy. > comments? > > StuartBiglerJr@cs.com wrote: I saw several messages about the Dynasty incident at ANC. Here's what I > know to date. The incident happened at about 2:15am so there were only two > controllers on duty. The CAL A343 was taxiing for takeoff on runway 32. The > local controller, who was also working ground control, cleared them for > takeoff while they were still taxiing on taxiway Romeo (the main north-south > taxiway). The crew should have taxiied to the taxiway Kilo intersection and > turned right, taxiied about 400 feet west and turned right again onto the > runway. Instead they turned onto taxiway Kilo and started the takeoff roll. > The tapes show that the takeoff clearance was clear and acknowledged by the > crew. The LC had turned to check the TSD (Traffic Situational Display) to > check on inbound traffic when he realized that the engines sounded different > than normal. He turned around to find CAL about 1000ft down the taxiway > gaining speed. He told me he felt that the aircraft could not be stopped on > the remaining taxiway so he said nothing. The news reports keep talking about > tire tracks in a snow berm at the end of the taxiway. There was no berm, > there is a flat area that extends about 100 feet and ends at a 30-50 foot > embankment. The tire tracks from the main gear ran right off the taxiway and > across the ground to the embankment. They literally flew (rode?) the thing > off the end. They flew over about a quarter mile of woods and then out over > Cook Inlet. They're lucky to be alive. I've heard that the crew has been > grounded and we expect a NTSB team to arrive on Monday. There has been > speculation that the crew misunderstood the clearance but I haven't heard > anything concrete. The LC's actions and words have been examined and conform > to our handbook. The difference in headings for the taxiway and the runway is > 80 degrees, so someone should have noticed. The only thing I have been able > to come up with is that the takeoff heading was directly to the first fix on > their flight plan. Maybe that has something to do with it. The news reports > also say that it got very quiet in the tower when it happened. NOT! The LC > told me that he was yelling "OH SH*T" over and over. The other controller > rang the crash phone and shouted the same thing at the fire department > dispatcher who, of course, had no clue as to what was happening. Poor guy, I > can only imagine what was going through his mind. When I get the lowdown on > what the investigation turns up I'll post the results. Oh yes, there were 250 > pax and crew aboard. From where the aircraft started to roll to the end of > the tire tracks is about 6000 feet. > > Stuart Bigler > ANC ATCT > > Joe Pries Commercial Aviation Photography > Serving the airline industry with quality photography > AOL IM AIRLINE72 > http://www.joepries.com > > > --------------------------------- > Do You Yahoo!? > Yahoo! Auctions Great stuff seeking new owners! Bid now!