Just witnessed an 'incident' at MAN on FlightRadar24

[MitchT]

Decided to try pilot's eye view on my iPhone or the first time and joined TOM38B (PFO-MAN) on its final approach towards rwy 23R. After descending below 1000ft I got a sudden view of the sky and the altitude started rising rapidly. I went into normal view to see what was going on and found that a Gulfstream G650ER was sitting on the threshold waiting to start its takeoff roll. THOM38B has now just landed safely.

How can one plane apparently be cleared to land while another is sat on the threshold?


ETA: Screen shot from my laptop ...

Edited by MitchT on Sunday 20th March 20:44

[pushthebutton]

The phrase "cleared to land" has a very significant meaning. You can be on approach a fair way beneath 1000ft and not cleared to land; you have been 'cleared for the approach' though. There are loads of connotations, but it may simply be the case that the aicraft on the runway had a problem after lining up and couldn't depart.

[MitchT]

Fair point. The Gulfstream did depart successfully while the 738 was going around though.

[anonymous-user]

MitchT said:

Fair point. The Gulfstream did depart successfully while the 738 was going around though.

Perhaps the gulfstream thought they were ready to take off, told the tower and got cleared to line up. Then needed a bit more time (technical problem, passenger issue) after entering the runway. The Tower had already cleared them to line up but then they weren't actually ready so the Thomson had to go around.

It might even be that the aircraft landing before the gulf stream lined up, took too long to vacate the runway delaying everything. The gulfstream would be told to line up after the other aircraft has passed them, they'd still be on the runway as the gulf stream entered the runway.

Perhaps the thomson was flying faster than expected for whatever reason and messed up the air traffic controllers calculations.

There's a whole host of reasons this might happen really. There isn't much leeway if someone makes a mistake, so go arounds are not unusual particularly if only one runway is in use.

[Boatbuoy]

Pah! That's nothing.....

This is more extreme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HEnu3esqlE

[essayer]

This is a great video showing a similar situation at JFK, from the cockpit of the arriving aircraft:

https://youtu.be/fcmqy6UObLo