[rawhide]

I read today when the passengers got off the plane, they discovered the plane stopped just 40 feet from going off a cliff.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/grantmartin/2014/01/12/southwest-airlines-plane-lands-at-wrong-airport-almost-careens-off-cliff/

[DJ MacWoW]

Thanks for the added info.

That would give one pause.............

[Jack Hydrazine]

According to

http://www.airnav.com/airport/KPLK

They do have Jet-A so re-fueling won’t be a problem!

The runway is 3,738 feet which means they landed within 3,700 feet. Not bad for a loaded 737. The ESE end of the runway is right next to US 65 so that isn’t where the drop-off is but the airport does look like it is up on a hill. The elevation of the airport is 940 feet.

Also, from the same website.

Additional Remarks
A57-30 37:1 TO DSPLCD THLD.
A57-12 50:1 TO DSPLCD THLD.
- NO SAFETY/OVERRUN AREAS AT RY ENDS-LARGE DROP-OFFS. STEEP TERRAIN GRADIENTS ALONG RY PVMT EDGES.
- GA SVCS AVBL EAST END OF AIRFIELD.
- STUDENT TRAINING ACTIVITIES IN THE AREA.
- DEER ON & INVOF ARPT.

Just think if a student pilot was flying around the airport doing touch-and-goes and this 737 comes in by a straight-in approach. Then the deer on the runway would have been problem. Lastly, the drop-off on the WNW end.