Aeromexico B738 at San Francisco on Jan 9th 2018, lined up for wrong runway on landing

Last Update: January 11, 2018 / 15:12:14 GMT/Zulu time

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Incident Facts

Date of incident
Jan 9, 2018

Classification
Incident

Airline
Aeromexico

Flight number
AM-668

Departure
Mexico City, Mexico

Destination
San Francisco, United States

Aircraft Registration
XA-AMU

Aircraft Type
Boeing 737-800

ICAO Type Designator
B738

Airport
San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco

Airport ICAO Code
KSFO

An Aeromexico Boeing 737-800, registration XA-AMU performing flight AM-668 from Mexico City (Mexico) to San Francisco,CA (USA), was cleared for the approach to San Francisco's runway 28R, later cleared to land runway 28R, both instructions were read back correctly. The aircraft was descending through about 500 feet AGL when tower noticed the aircraft had lined up for runway 28L however and instructed the aircraft to go around and turn left 15 degrees.

Tower had cleared another aircraft to line up runway 28L for departure from taxiway E at that time, cleared the flight for takeoff, the aircraft was accelerating for takeoff at that time.

AM-668 positioned for another approach to runway 28L and landed safely about 15 minutes after the go around. The departure continued to their destination without further incident.

The FAA reported AM-668 had been cleared to land runway 28R, had correctly read back the clearance, yet lined up for runway 28L. Tower noticed the wrong line up when the aircraft was about a mile from touchdown and instructed the flight to go around. There was a departure on the runway at that time. An investigation is underway.

Metars:
KSFO 092156Z 29024G27KT 10SM FEW009 BKN014 OVC032 13/11 A2971 RMK AO2 PK WND 29028/2155 SLP061 T01330106=
KSFO 092123Z 28018KT 10SM FEW008 SCT026 OVC032 14/11 A2969 RMK AO2 T01390111=
KSFO 092056Z 29018KT 10SM FEW008 BKN024 OVC028 13/11 A2968 RMK AO2 SLP051 T01330111 51007=
KSFO 091956Z 27014KT 10SM FEW008 BKN017 OVC022 14/11 A2968 RMK AO2 SLP049 T01390111=
KSFO 091856Z 27009KT 10SM FEW008 BKN014 OVC022 14/12 A2967 RMK AO2 SLP048 T01440122=
KSFO 091756Z 27007KT 10SM SCT008 BKN010 OVC014 14/13 A2966 RMK AO2 SLP044 T01440128 10144 20128 53035=
KSFO 091656Z 33009KT 10SM SCT008 BKN010 OVC014 13/12 A2963 RMK AO2 SLP033 T01330117=
Incident Facts

Date of incident
Jan 9, 2018

Classification
Incident

Airline
Aeromexico

Flight number
AM-668

Departure
Mexico City, Mexico

Destination
San Francisco, United States

Aircraft Registration
XA-AMU

Aircraft Type
Boeing 737-800

ICAO Type Designator
B738

Airport
San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco

Airport ICAO Code
KSFO

This article is published under license from Avherald.com. © of text by Avherald.com.
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