DE HAVILLAND DHC-8, SEATTLE, WASH., JAN. 19, 2004–At 11:38 a.m. the flight crew of Dash 8 C-GTAQ inadvertently landed on a taxiway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). There were no injuries to the captain, first officer, flight attendant or any of the 32 passengers, nor was there any damage to the aircraft, which is owned and operated by Air Canada Jazz. The Part 129 scheduled airline flight, which had left Vancouver, British Columbia, about 45 minutes before the incident, was landing in VMC and was on an IFR flight plan.
According to the crew, they were cleared by Seattle Center for a visual approach to Runway 16R. When they were near Elliot Bay, the crew contacted Seattle-Tacoma Tower and were cleared to land on Runway 16R, number two behind a 737 that was then touching down. Neither crewmember saw the 737. The captain, who was flying at the time, therefore aligned the aircraft with what he felt sure was Runway 16R. He then continued on the approach and completed what to him seemed to be an uneventful landing. Soon after touchdown, the tower advised the flight crew that they had landed on Taxiway Tango.
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