Flights are diverted for a multitude of reasons. However, for one recent Alaska Airlines flight the diversion was caused by an unusual event.
Flight AS 3491 (operated by Skywest) was bound for Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) in Wyoming from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on August 8, 2024. However, as the twin jet Embraer ERJ 175 approached JACt, the pilot revealed that he did not have the proper qualification to land at the airport, according to a passenger on the plane.
The passenger took to Reddit to share the unusual experience, including the pilot’s confession:
“Hey, I’m really sorry folks but due to me not having the proper qualification to land in Jackson Hole, we need to divert to Salt Lake City Utah. We’ll keep you posted on the next steps.”
Data from flight tracking site FlightAware shows the aircraft heading to Jackson Hole, circling a few times, before diverting to Salt Lake City 466 kilometers away.
The flight landed at SLC safely, and the pilot was replaced by one who had a landing qualification. The flight eventually headed to Jackson Hole.
Jackson Hole Airport is the only commercial airport in the United States located completely within a National Park.
According to information from Jackson Hole Airport’s website, its mountainous and unique location presents a “challenging operating environment” for pilots. The airport’s runway elevation is 6,451 feet and subject to the frequently changing weather that is associated with a mountainous airport.
“Preparation is critical, and it is recommended that pilots familiarize themselves with all available information prior to operating at the Jackson airport,” the airport said.
3 comments
We call those “Special Airports” which require some training events from paper or video review to simulator training. There is a periodic requirement to be current. The training is entered into the pilots training folder.
I think we should know how it came to be that no one, including the pilot, recognized this disqualification and allowed the plane to take off with a pilot who was not qualified to land at the destination. Fortunately the aircraft had enough fuel to reach another airport and land safely. But it’s scary to think what might have happened if the fuel had not been sufficient. Passengers were severely inconvenienced and are entitled to an explanation, apology and compensation.
I would say the airline has an excellent pilot that was willing to admit his training shortfall. He could have made an attempt at landing and probably been successful but chose to admit his or the dispatchers error.