A pilot landed on the wrong side of a runway at night. Here's how it happened.
Report: Landing On A Parallel Grass Runway By Mistake
We found the following NASA ASRS report published by a pilot who made the mistake of landing on a grass parallel runway at night. When we first read this report, we wondered how this mistake was possible. But after a little digging, we found out just how easy it would be for any pilot to make the same mistake flying into the 7B3 Hampton Airfield at night.
Returning to 7B3 (Hampton Airfield) late at night, I turned on the runway lights, and landed in-between them. However, the lights border the grass runway rather than the asphalt runway that I meant to land on. As a result, I landed on the grass runway, when I expected to land on asphalt.
This could have been dangerous if the grass runway had been blocked with snow (it was not, fortunately). The grass runway was not operational at the time (NOTAM). It's not clear that in order to land on the asphalt, I'd have to land OUTSIDE the two sets of runway lights that border the turf runway. Adding a third row of runway lights (on the other side of the asphalt runway) would make it much more clear for a night landing.
Let's take a look at the "non-standard" configuration of this airport's runways and lighting.
What's Nonstandard About The 7B3 Airfield?
The first place we looked for some information was the chart supplement, which has a written description of the 7B3 airport (no taxi diagram is drawn by the FAA for this airport). As you'll notice, there are a few notes pilots flying here should pay extra attention to, especially regarding non-standard, low-intensity runway lighting (LIRL):
The airport's single 2,100-foot Runway 02/20 is essentially half-grass, half-pavement. The edges align with each other to form a wide landing area, although parallel operations are prohibited. This unique configuration is best flown into for the first time during the day.
While the FAA hasn't published a taxi diagram for this airport, if you're a ForeFlight user, you're in luck. ForeFlight has developed its own airport diagrams for many airports around the country, including 7B3. Here's what you'll see when using your EFB:
If you'd happened to read AOPA's free airport directory online, you'd have seen the following review by another pilot:
Grass runway open now; adjacent to paved runway. Use caution on grass in winter and during thaw; call ahead for conditions. Runway lights outline both paved and contiguous grass runway; recommend experience operating there during the day prior to attempting night landing (tree tops are unlit and in close proximity to runway). Great friendly field with a great restaurant!
What do you think? Have you flown into 7B3? Tell us in the comments below.
Improve your landings for less than the cost of a flight lesson.
Do you have a perfect takeoff and landing every time? Neither do we. That's why we built our Mastering Takeoffs and Landings online course.
You'll learn strategies, tactics, and fundamental principles that you can use on your next flight, and just about any takeoff or landing scenario you'll experience as a pilot.
Plus, for less than the cost of a flight lesson, you get lifetime access to tools that increase your confidence and make your landings more consistent.
Ready to get started? Click here to purchase Mastering Takeoffs and Landings now.
$139.99
Become a better pilot.
Subscribe to the Boldmethod email and get real-world flying tips and information direct to your inbox, every week.
