Tag Archives: M. Graham Clark Downtown Airport

Wrong airport Southwest Airlines pilots “mistook bright runway lights” for their intended Branson airport

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Southwest Airlines (Dallas) pilots who landed at the wrong Branson, Missouri airport on January 12 told NTSB investigatorsย “they mistook the bright runway lights of the smaller M. Graham Clark Downtown Airport for their intended destination at Branson Airport”, according to a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) statement and this report by Reuters.

The pilots stated they did not realize they were at the wrong airport until they had landed, which required heavy braking.

Read the full report from Reuters: CLICK HERE

Read the follow-up report from CNN: CLICK HERE

Southwest Airlines:ย AG Slide Show

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700 lands at the wrong Branson airport

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Southwest Airlines (Dallas) recently inherited Branson, Missouri from its subsidiary AirTran Airways and some of its pilots may not be as familiar with Branson Airportย (IATA:ย BKG,ย ICAO:ย KBBG,ย FAAย LID:ย BBG) as other long-time Southwest-served airports.ย The airport opened on May 11, 2009 and is privately owned by Branson Airport, LLC.

Apparently the crew of flight WN 4013 last night (January 12) from Chicago (Midway) to Branson were a bit unfamiliar with the area. The Boeing 737-700 with 124 passengers and five crew members mistakenly landed at M. Graham Clark Downtown Airport (IATA:ย PLK,ย ICAO:ย KPLK,ย FAAย LID:ย PLK) in Branson. The downtown airportย has oneย runwayย designated 12/30 with anย asphaltย surface measuring 3,738 by 100 feet (1,139 x 30 m) according to Wikipedia. PLK is owned and operated by Taney County.

The aircraft involved is Boeing 737-7H4 N272WN (msn 32527). The aircraft will be ferried out of PLK with only a crew.

Read the full report (with video) from OzarksFirst.com: CLICK HERE

Southwest Airlines:ย AG Slide Show