WDB HOLDING BETWEEN RWYS CLEARED POSITION; ADDS POWER AS LNDG TRAFFIC CROSSES THRESHOLD.
Synopsis
WDB HOLDING BETWEEN RWYS CLEARED POSITION; ADDS POWER AS LNDG TRAFFIC CROSSES THRESHOLD.
Narrative
AT TIME OF INCIDENT WE WERE LNDG ON RWY 28L AT SFO. WX WAS CLR. A WDB WAS HOLDING BTWN RWYS 28L AND 28R. WE HAD JUST BEGUN A PWR REDUCTION FOR LNDG FLARE AS WE PASSED BEHIND THE WDB. THE TWR TIMED IT PERFECTLY AND CLRED THE WDB INTO POS ON RWY 28R JUST AS WE PASSED BEHIND ITS #2 ENG (TAIL ENG). THE WDB ADDED PWR AND WE WERE BLOWN OFF CENTERLINE; BUT WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE A SAFE LNDG. A LIGHT AIRPLANE IN THE SAME SITUATION WOULD EITHER HAVE FLIPPED OVER OR BEEN BLOWN INTO THE ACFT HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 28L. I CALLED THE TWR ABOUT THEIR TIMING AND WAS TOLD 3 TIMES THAT THERE WAS 'NOTHING OPERATIONALLY WRONG' WITH THEIR ACTIONS. DELIBERATELY PUTTING AN ACFT IN JEOPARDY IS 'OPERATIONALLY WRONG' IN MY OPINION! BEING 'OPERATIONALLY CORRECT' WOULD BE OF LITTLE SOLACE HAD AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED! IN HINDSIGHT WE COULD HAVE STAYED HIGHER AND LANDED 3000-4000' DOWN THE RWY; AND OPTION THAT IS NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE DUE TO RWY LENGTH OR CONDITION. HOWEVER; IT SEEMS TO ME THE 5-10 SECS DELAY IN THE TWR'S INSTRUCTIONS TO THE WDB WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE APPROPRIATE. CERTAINLY THE TWR SHOULD HAVE ADVISED THE WDB THAT AN ACFT WAS LNDG BEHIND HIM. TWR PROCS SHOULD BE CHANGED TO PREVENT A TWR CTLR FROM GIVING AN ACFT INSTRUCTIONS THAT REQUIRE SUBSTANTIAL PWR APPLICATIONS (ESPECIALLY A HEAVY WITH THE HIGH TAIL ENG) WHEN AN ACFT IS LNDG BEHIND HIM!
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.