Most Exciting Landing
January 2008 flying United from KFLL - KSFO via KDEN:
I arrived in Denver around 1030 local and was scheduled to depart at 1330. I checked the weather report for San Francisco once I got to Denver and saw that they were experiencing a major storm going through the Bay Area. KSFO's ATIS for the 2 hours I was waiting had landing on 10L with departures on 10R. No ILS for 10L, they were using the VOR/GPS (B) approach, and ATC issued gate holds around 1330 my local in KDEN for all aircraft destined for KSFO. We didn't get a flow time release until 1600 local Denver time. So back to the pub I go to have a bit to eat. When we finally did depart after 3 gate and aircraft changes, it was 1640. Flying on United Airlines they allow you free audio headsets and also an audio channel to listen to ATC from the cockpit. We were cleared by the Ground Controller to taxi to the the holding point for rwy 26, but enroute the Controller that he had to get another release time from ATC and for the pilots to contact the company. Our taxi route was originally to taxi via G and hold short rwy26, but the controller told us to taxi via G, then left on B and right on F to hold short at F for rwy 26. Once the pilots sorted out the company, 5 minutes later they told the ground controller we were good to go, so the controller releases us to the tower and the tower clears us for a takeoff from F intersection. The pilots request the backtrack on 26 for full length departure (12000 ft). Approved we're airborn and finally on the way to KSFO.
The flight was uneventful. Prior to TOD the enroute controller changes out STAR from MOD3 to LOCKE1. During our descent and after handoff to Norcal Approach, we're cleared for the ILS19L approach. Five minutes later the controller tells us to expect vectors after LOCKE for the VOR/GPS B approach to 10L. We get down to 6000 in the sequence behind ASA295 (Alaska Airlines B739 callsign Alaska enroute from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico) and in front of AWE473 (America West A319 callsign "Cactus" enroute from Las Vegas, Nevada). I hear "Alaska295 turn right heading 140 descend to 3000, cleared VOR/GPS (B) approach runway 10L" He replies "cleared for the RNAV (GPS) 10L" ( he didn't have the VOR/GPS (B) onboard and the controller approves him. Let me also say that from 12000 all the way down we were in rain and "moderate" to severe turbulence during this approach. 3 minutes later the controller tells us "UAL77 turn left hdg 130, cleared VOR/GPS (B) 10L approach maintain 170kts until WESLA". The pilot does the readback and then we make the turn on the localiser for the VOR and are heading into the rwy. The Alaska in front gets the release to tower and shortly after we hear the Cactus behind us is cleared for the approach also. I'm looking out the window the whole time and we're still getting the bumpy ride on the way in. The controller tells the pilot that the previous aircraft reported Severe turbulence at 1500 ft 5 dme from the field. The pilot "definitely agrees with that." We get the handoff at 5 dme to tower and we're on their frequency long enough to be identified by the tower at 3 dme when I hear "San Francisco Tower, Alaska295 is missed approach rwy10L, executing missed approach procedure RNAV (GPS) 10L", at this point I was glued to the window watching us go into and out of the clouds and seeing the ground every once in a while as well as getting bumped around in the seat. I am able to make out the freeway below (so I know we're real close to the rwy) when I hear the engines speed up and our attitude started climbing when I realised we were also doing a Missed Approach. We get the handoff back to Norcal Approach and LONNNNGGGG vectors to the right for the ILS19L approach on the next go. But I also heard on our appch freq that the Cactus flight behind us did not make it to the runway either. Now the Appch controller has to deal with our 3 planes in addition to the 4 planes that were behind us. The winds were still 111/22, but they were going to give us the ILS appch. Unfortunately ASA295 after doing some fuel calcs declared to divert to their alternate KOAK (Oakland). Our pilot came on the air to tell the PAX that he had to do the Missed Approach due to after hitting the minimum alt and dme, the rwy was not in sight, but the good thing was we had lots of fuel to make many more attempts. He was also kind enough to explain that our next attempt to rwy 19L will be a Precision Approach and should be much easier. This time it was a perfect landing on the keys with no turbulence at all. With all that said I finally got to the gate around 1905 local time KSFO. I came home and checked
www.flightaware.com and saw that ASA295 did land in KOAK and then 1 hour later they flew back to KSFO. A very interesting flight and very happy to experience this.