South Africa may be the only country in the world where pilots try to drive passenger aircraft like minibus taxis.
Although this particular incident happened earlier this year, the original email is re-doing the rounds, so it is perhaps time to shed a little light on the circumstances that led to this aircraft ending up in the bushes.
The pilot of a B737-200 landed at Hoedspruit in the dark and proceeded to take the wrong taxiway. Having arrived at a dead end he then attempted to turn around by reversing – using reverse thrust.
He misjudged and put the main gear off the concrete, and the aircraft rolled back down the bank.
The pilot then tried to climb out using full power, but with the engines being so close to the ground they ingested grass, stones, etc. If it hadn’t been raining at the time, the jet blast would likely have set fire to the surrounding bush.
The aircraft has been written off. The cost of the engines alone exceeds the insured value.
No passengers were on board at the time.
However, in all fairness to the pilot, the narrow taxiways, which have non-standard markings and layouts, are very close to the verge and the bush. There are several exits and entries to runway 18, which would be easy to miss in the low visibility of the rainy night.
Another pilot who visited the airport pointed out that the taxiway ends up on a tar road that doesn’t lead back to anywhere, so the aircraft would have been stuck. A 180 degree turn would be nearly impossible, so a three-point turn might have been the pilot’s only option.
And, according to Boeing (737-200 FCTM section 2.4), backing with reverse thrust is allowed if there is no other way to move the aircraft.
Comments on the various air crash websites raise interesting questions, such as: “Since when is a B737-200 a single crew aircraft?” and “Dang expensive bush cutter.”