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Boeing 747 'Superlifter' jumbo jet got stuck after mistakenly landing at tiny Kansas airport

The plane took off without incident after an unscheduled 13 hour stop at the wrong airport

Rob Williams
Thursday 21 November 2013 13:19 GMT
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A Boeing 747 LCF Dreamlifter sits on the runway after accidentally landing at Jabara airport in Wichita, Kansas thinking it was landing at McConnell Air Force Base
A Boeing 747 LCF Dreamlifter sits on the runway after accidentally landing at Jabara airport in Wichita, Kansas thinking it was landing at McConnell Air Force Base (AP)

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A modified Boeing 747 'Dreamlifter' aircraft has taken off safely after mistakenly landing at a The Commons of Pensacola

The plane took off without incident after an unscheduled 13 hour stop at the wrong airport from a significantly shorter runway than is generally used for 747s.

The plane usually needs 9,199 feet of runway to take off at maximum weight whereas the runway length at Jabara airport where it accidentally landed is just 6,101 feet.

The length of runway required for a plane to take-off is largely dependent on the weight the aircraft is carrying.

The modified 747-400 passenger plane, which is used to carry the huge assembled components of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, is capable of carrying more cargo by volume than any aeroplane in the world.

The plane was scheduled to land at McConnell Air Force Base but mistakenly landed at Jabara Airport late Wednesday night. In a tweet the City of Wichita said that no one was injured and no property damage occurred when the plane landed.

Audio from the LiveATC website says McConnell AFB gave the plane clearance to land, but the aircraft went on to land at the wrong airport.

The Dreamlifter pilots are heard saying, "Ahh, yes sir, we just landed at the other airport."

Roads around the airport were closed during the take-off as a precaution. The aircraft travelled to its initial correct destination after a flight lasting just 19 minutes. The landing at McConnell was without incident.

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