NEW ENGLAND REGION 16
ERIC J. KNIGHT
BOSTON ATCT
ROSS LESHINSKY
BOSTON ATCT
On the evening of Oct. 20, 2016, Boston (BOS) Logan Airport
was set in an uncommon configuration due to weather and
low ceilings: Controllers were running ILS (instrument landing
system) approaches to Runway 4R, while ILS approaches to 15R
were circling to land on 4L.
The tower already was short-staffed, when they got a call from
a local hospital that the front line manager's wife had been in
an accident and he needed to leave. (She was not seriously
injured.)
A Piedmont Airlines De Havilland Dash 8-300 aircraft was
making the circle approach to 4L when the CIC (controller in
charge), Eric J. Knight, and LCW (local control west) controller
Ross Leshinsky noticed that the aircraft was on an abnormal
profile. The aircraft was lower than usual with this approach.
Leshinsky noticed the aircraft did not have its landing lights on
and asked the pilot to check his gear.
Example of a De Havilland
Dash 8-300
