Massive Plane Finally Leaves Tiny Kansas Airport Where It Accidentally Landed

Update: The Boeing air freighter took off from Jabara Airport in Wichita, Kan., Thursday afternoon after being stuck there overnight.

Updated — 2:20 p.m. ET

An enormous cargo plane, a Boeing 747 Dreamlifter, mistakenly landed late Wednesday at the wrong airport in Wichita and was stuck there overnight. It finally took off around 2 p.m. ET on Thursday.

Joseph Graybill

@jr_graybill

The Dreamlifter landed at Jabara.

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Atlas Air Flight 4241 originated in New York and was scheduled to land at McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas, but instead landed at the smaller Jabara Airport a few miles away.

The mammoth plane needs 9,199 feet of runway to take off at maximum weight, but the runway length at Jabara is just 6,101 feet.

Sittin at Jabara watching the Dreamlifter that doesn't belong... #lifefail

Caleb Carey

@ccarey206

Sittin at Jabara watching the Dreamlifter that doesn't belong... #lifefail

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It is not known why the plane landed at the smaller airport but it appears to have been a mistake.

Air traffic control audio recorded during the incident shows the disoriented pilots thought they had landed at Beech Factory Airport in Wichita before realizing they were actually at Jabara.

Tower: "Do you know which airport you're at?"

Pilot: "Well we think we have a pretty good pulse -- how many airports directly to the south ... are there?"

ATC recordings show #DreamLifter pilots thought they landed at Beech Field, not McConnell -- they were really at Jabara #breaking @KWCH12

Brian Gregory

@KWCH12NDBrian

ATC recordings show #DreamLifter pilots thought they landed at Beech Field, not McConnell -- they were really at Jabara #breaking @KWCH12

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At 9:26pm #Dreamlifter pilots ask for tower freq at Beech Field (told it's closed)...then ask for airport coords

Brian Gregory

@KWCH12NDBrian

At 9:26pm #Dreamlifter pilots ask for tower freq at Beech Field (told it's closed)...then ask for airport coords

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Atlas Air #DreamLifter pilots have flown to #McConnell at least 26 times since August 23, 2013 according to #FlightAware @ricktillery

Brian Gregory

@KWCH12NDBrian

Atlas Air #DreamLifter pilots have flown to #McConnell at least 26 times since August 23, 2013 according to #FlightAware @ricktillery

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Boeing sent a tug from its Wichita facilities to the airport to try to turn around the Dreamlifter, but that could take some time...

Because on the way to the airport early Thursday, the tug broke down. Another tug was brought in later in the day.

PHOTO: Tug headed to Jabara Airport to move #dreamlifter broke down along Webb. #kwch12 #kwchtraffic

KWCH Eyewitness News

@KWCH12

PHOTO: Tug headed to Jabara Airport to move #dreamlifter broke down along Webb. #kwch12 #kwchtraffic

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The plane finally took off Thursday afternoon and headed for McConnell Air Force Base.

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