Air Force C-17 Globemaster III makes surprise landing at Peter O. Knight Airport

[Graham1973]

These airports all look alike from altitude...don't they?

TAMPA

A military cargo plane that typically requires 3,500 feet for takeoff landed unexpectedly Friday at Peter O. Knight Airport, where the longest runway is 95 feet short.

Work began immediately to lighten the load of the 174-foot-long aircraft so that it might leave Davis Islands safely.

The drama ended at 8:27 p.m., when the C-17 Globemaster III took a hop over Hillsborough Bay to MacDill, the original destination. It landed just a few minutes later.

It was unclear why the plane, headed to MacDill, made an unscheduled landing at the small airport near downtown Tampa. Master Sgt. Bryan Gatewood, a spokesman for MacDill Air Force Base, said authorities are investigating.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/air-force-c-17-globemaster-iii-makes-surprise-landing-at-peter-o-knight/1241349

 

[Orionblamblam]

In the days before GPS, mistakes like this were not uncommon. In the days of GPS, mistakes like this indicate either a serious technical problem, or a serious piloting problem.

 

[CJGibson]

Does the USAF have interviews sans cafe?

Actually, I seem to recall a USAFE F-15E doing a fantastic display off the sea-front at Hartlepool a few years ago. Unfortunately the crowd was 30 miles further north at Sunderland. All beaches look the same.

Chris

 

[Graham1973]

And now for the most amazing thing:

C-17 Taking off from Peter O. Knight