Investigation finds pilot error responsible for Delta flight landing at wrong airport

Federal investigators say pilot error was responsible for a Delta Air Lines jet from Minneapolis landing at Ellsworth Air Force Base last summer instead of its intended destination at the nearby Rapid City, South Dakota airport. According to the Star Tribune, the National Transportation Safety Board notes pilot confusion between the two airports in “fairly common,” although it’s usually caught before landing. An air traffic controller advised the flight deck of the potential problem and the first officer reportedly acknowledged the clearance and asked the captain, “You got the right one in sight?” The captain replied, “I hope I do.” A Delta spokesman says the pilot retired shortly after the incident.