Wrong Runway Alerts Push KC-135 Into a Fuel Emergency After Multiple Go-Arounds

On July 4, 2026, Salty 76 Heavy was attempting to land at Salt Lake City International Airport (KSLC) when the airport's runway alignment monitoring system twice alerted air traffic controllers that the aircraft appeared to be lined up with a parallel taxiway instead of Runway 16R. Both alerts resulted in go-around instructions. After the second missed approach, the crew reported they were running critically low on fuel and informed ATC that another go-around was not an option.

Accident Facts

Recognizing the urgency, the crew declared an emergency and requested an immediate landing. Air traffic controllers cleared all conflicting traffic from the approach path, instructed multiple aircraft to go around, and gave Salty 76 Heavy priority for Runway 16R. Although the monitoring system continued to indicate a possible alignment issue, the crew confirmed they were correctly aligned and continued the approach.

Salty 76 Heavy landed safely on Runway 16R without incident. After touchdown, the crew advised they did not require emergency or fire rescue assistance and taxied back to their hangar. The event highlighted the challenges of balancing automated runway safety alerts with pilot situational awareness, particularly during a low-fuel emergency