Passenger plane makes mistaken landing at US bomber base

A civilian aircraft mistakenly landed at Fairford Air Base, home to a squadron of US B-1B strategic bombers, and was held there for three hours.

The incident occurred on 12/9 when a Cessna 560XLS+ aircraft, registration D-CJMK, operated by VistaJet, mistakenly landed at Fairford Air Base instead of Cotswold Airport, located about 17 km to the west.

Security forces at Fairford Air Base initiated emergency response procedures immediately upon the Cessna touching down. The pilot realized the error and wanted to take off immediately to reach the correct destination, but the aircraft remained at Fairford Air Base for approximately three hours to complete questioning and paperwork.

Location of Fairford Air Base and Cotswold Airport. *Graphic: Google Maps*

Cotswold Airport and Fairford Air Base are relatively close, share the same latitude, and have similar runway layouts, increasing the risk of civilian pilots landing at the wrong location. Base security personnel seemed to understand this, which may have contributed to the relatively quick resolution of the incident.

"If the incident led to a more extensive investigation, the current operating methods of an airport with the size and frequency of operations like Cotswold would be questioned," stated Kai Greet, editor for the military aviation specialized publication Aviationist. "This facility was once the Royal Air Force's Kemble base and has been privately operated since 2001."

A B-1B bomber lands at Fairford Air Base in the UK in 10/2023. *Video: USAF*

Fairford Air Base was constructed in 1943 and became operational one year later. The Royal Air Force operated the facility until 1950, after which the US military has managed the base from 1950 to the present.

In addition to the stationed B-1B strategic bomber squadron, Fairford Air Base also hosts the 9th Reconnaissance Wing and the 501st Logistics Wing of the US Air Force.

The Cessna 560XLS+, part of the Citation Excel series, is a nine-seat passenger aircraft primarily used for private charter flights. The aircraft has a cruising speed exceeding 810 km/h, a range of approximately 3,400 km, and a service ceiling over 13,000 m.