ACFT LNDG HWV TOUCHES DOWN BEFORE PREVIOUS ARR CLRS THE RWY.

Date: 2003-10 · Aircraft: Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 1 Eng; Retractable Gear

Anomalies: atc-issue-all-types|conflict-ground-conflict|less-severe|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|ground-incursion-runway

Synopsis

ACFT LNDG HWV TOUCHES DOWN BEFORE PREVIOUS ARR CLRS THE RWY.

Narrative

WHILE PRACTICING TOUCH AND GOES I INADVERTENTLY LANDED ON A RWY THAT WAS STILL OCCUPIED BY A PREVIOUSLY LNDG ACFT. I WAS #2 ON FINAL WITH THE ACFT AHEAD IN SIGHT. SPACING WAS GOOD. I OBSERVED THAT ACFT TOUCH DOWN AND ROLL OUT. I THEN WENT MOMENTARILY (HEADS DOWN) TO RECHK LNDG CONFIGN (GEAR DOWN; ETC) AT 400 FT MSL AND 1/2 MI OUT. I WAS THEN AGAIN VISUAL WITH THE RWY. ALL APPEARED NORMAL AND A NORMAL LNDG WAS MADE. DURING ROLLOUT I NOTICED THE ACFT AT THE FAR END OF THE RWY. THE RWY ITSELF IS 4200 FT LONG; AND THERE WAS NO NEED FOR ANY EVASIVE ACTION. THE PLANES WERE NEVER CLOSER THAN 2000 FT AT TAXI SPD. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE MINDSET THAT THE ACFT WOULD EXIT THE RWY IN AMPLE TIME FOR ME TO LAND. THE FACT THAT I LOST SIGHT OF THE PLANE DURING MY HEADS DOWN CONFIGN CHK. THE FACT THAT WHEN I LOOKED BACK AT THE RWY; I FOCUSED ON THE TOUCHDOWN ZONE AND NOT THE ENTIRE RWY. THAT RWY 15-33 AT HWV IS A LIGHT COLORED CONCRETE RWY AND THE PLANE I FOLLOWED WAS ALSO LIGHT COLORED THEREBY DID NOT PROVIDE MUCH CONTRAST TO CATCH MY ATTN AT THE FAR END OF THE RWY. I FEEL VISUALLY CONFIRMING THE ACFT HAD EXITED THE RWY; RATHER THAN ASSUMING IT DID; WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE SIT.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.