LEAD ACFT OF A FLT OF 2 CIVILIAN F104 ACFT BLEW A TIRE ON LNDG. #2 ACFT HAD TO DECLARE A FUEL EMER TO LAND ON THE SAME RWY ON THE L SIDE. COM PROBS ENCOUNTERED WITH #2 ACFT AND TWR; INFO RELAYED VIA AN AIRBORNE HELI AND #1 ACFT ON THE RWY. TWR UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE EMER EQUIP.
Synopsis
LEAD ACFT OF A FLT OF 2 CIVILIAN F104 ACFT BLEW A TIRE ON LNDG. #2 ACFT HAD TO DECLARE A FUEL EMER TO LAND ON THE SAME RWY ON THE L SIDE. COM PROBS ENCOUNTERED WITH #2 ACFT AND TWR; INFO RELAYED VIA AN AIRBORNE HELI AND #1 ACFT ON THE RWY. TWR UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE EMER EQUIP.
Narrative
FLT OF 2 F104'S (CIVIL) RETURNING (FERRY) FROM AIRSHOW. LNDG FROM 360 DEG OVERHEAD PATTERN; THE LEAD ACFT HAD A BLOWN TIRE APPROX 6000 FT DOWN 8500 FT RWY 35. LEAD ACFT CAME TO A STOP FAR R SIDE OF RWY (150 FT WIDE). FIRE TRUCKS DISPATCHED ONTO RWY 35 AT POS OF LEAD ACFT. #2 ACFT (ME) COMPLETED A MISSED APCH TO DOWNWIND (VISUAL). ASKED TWR STATUS OF AIRFIELD; 'NO ANSWER.' SEVERAL RADIO CALLS; 'NO ANSWER.' I COMPLETED A FLY-THROUGH OVER THE RWY ASKING TWR OF STATUS. NO ANSWER. LEAD ACFT ADVISED ME OF HIS SIT BY HIS RADIO; AND HE ASKED TWR TO REMOVE FIRE TRUCKS AND EMER VEHICLES FROM THE RWY SO I COULD LAND IN L LANE. TWR ADVISED HIM (NOT ME) THEY HAD NO RADIO CONTACT WITH THE FIRE TRUCKS. THEY ADVISED HIM I SHOULD DECLARE A FUEL EMER IN ORDER TO LAND ON RWY 35. THEY STILL WOULD NOT RESPOND TO MY RADIO CALLS. IN FACT; A LCL HELI HELPED BY RELAYING MY CALLS TO TWR. I DECLARED A FUEL EMER ON THIRD PASS AND LANDED IN L LANE OF RWY 35 WITHOUT INCIDENT. WHY DOESN'T TWR HAVE RADIO CONTACT WITH EMER VEHICLES; AND WHY DON'T THEY RESPOND TO ACFT UNDER THEIR CTL? LCL DIVERT BASES WERE CLOSED DUE TO TSTM AND LIGHTNING STRIKES.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.